You know very well that your health is dependent on your diet. By having the right foods you can effectively keep your blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol within the optimal limits. By consuming certain types of foods you can protect yourself at least to an extent from almost any of the most dangerous diseases. The balanced diet is the key to slowing aging and living longer. But it is not only about what foods you eat. It is about how you prepare them. If you want to make the most out of the beneficial foods you have to use healthy cooking methods.

You should pay special attention to choosing the ingredients for your meals. It goes without saying that it is best to buy organic fruit and vegetables. These contain the least amount of toxins. It is now possible to buy organic meat as well. It comes from animals that have been fed with organic plant food. It is not a good idea to use frozen foods for the preparation of your meals. The fresh ingredients are to be preferred. The same is applicable to the processed and canned foods. The freshly cooked ingredients always taste better.

The choice of oils that you use for cooking is extremely important. It is true that the butter contains more fats than the tangerine. But the latter is rich in hydrogenated fats which are extremely dangerous for the health. It might be surprising for some, but the butter is actually quite healthy. Still, there are some plant oils that are much better for you. The virgin olive oil contains almost no saturated fats. It is full of omega-3, 6 and 9 fatty acids. This type of oil is best for cooking. 

The way in which the food is prepared determines the preservation of its nutrients. It is best to eat the fruit and vegetables raw even though the latter can be steamed as well. It is a little known fact but it is best to add some oil to your salad than to have the vegetables without anything. It has been proven that the fats provide for the more effective assimilation of the nutrients.

You should avoid frying any foods at all costs. This process destroys a lot of the essential nutrients plus when heated to a very high temperature the fats in the oil become unhealthy. This does not mean that you cannot use small amounts for the preparation of stews and other less fatty meals. Still, it is best for the red meats as well as for the chicken, fish and poultry to be grilled preferably without the use of any grease. You can readily try using marinades to give these ingredients a super tasty flavor.

The way you serve the meals also determines how healthy they are. It is best not to have side dishes rich in carbs such as potatoes and rice when you serve meat. The stewed vegetables are to be preferred. On the other hand, these are to be preferred over the bread when you serve meat casseroles.

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