Nutritionists and health experts often advise us to cook ‘healthy food’ in bulk and freeze it during the weekend and then consume it through the week so that we do not reach out to ‘unhealthy’ food alternatives when pressed for time. Is this really healthy?
Obesity/being overweight/unhealthy is essentially a state of malnourishment where one is overfed with macronutrients such as carbohydrates, fats and proteins but deficient in minerals, vitamins and phytonutrients that are needed to use or metabolise these macronutrients.
What are the most common ways through which micronutrients are lost?
Cooking in bulk and reheating it often reduces the Vitamin B content in food. Cooking large quantities of food need higher heat and time to cook which reduces B vitamins in food and reheating it further reduces these nutrients. For the same reason, eating food from restaurants, weddings/parties, canteens and places where food is cooked in bulk might not give essential micronutrients.
Using pre-cut, frozen or canned produce or food might sound convenient but is not healthy as it diminishes Vitamin B5 , Vit C and antioxidants from the food.
Wrong cooking methods that can destroy nutrients
Choosing simple and easy to cook food is the easiest way to ensure we get all the nutrients.
Simple foods like khichdi, millet porridges/kanji, dal rice, one pot meals like bisibele bath, peas pulav, instant millet dosas etc can be prepared very quickly but still give us the nutrients we need.
Cooking in small batches, chopping vegetables and fruits only when needed, using fresh produce and eating fresh food might seem dreadfully time consuming in our fast-paced life. However, the pandemic has given us the opportunity to take time out to cook fresh food, enjoy each and every bite and nourish ourselves which ensures we do not have to rely on supplements for hormonal balance, depression, immunity or weight loss.
What tips do you follow to cook fresh food? Let us know in comments
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