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Clean and lean eating

In today’s world though we have advanced leaps and bounds in the field of technology. But, have we found an alternative to healthy eating?

The honest answer is ‘No’. You might tell we have supplements but nothing can compromise nutritious food.

As the quote goes, “Eat to live, do not live to eat.”

Clean eating is a term that is being popularised in most health circles. Clean eating doesn’t take the literal meaning of consuming super clean food. Consumption of food that will provide maximum nutritional benefits is the ultimate goal.

We have compiled few points that can put you on a clean eating track:

Adding more veggies and fruits into every meal that you consume is quintessential. Studies also show that including vegetables and fruit in our daily food reduces the risk of cancer and other ailments. A simple way to add fruits and vegetables into your daily diet is to consume them in the form of salads. Make your salad colourful and you won’t get bored of eating it daily.
Choose food that is organically grown because the risk of pesticide exposure is less. This is beneficial to our health.
Say ‘No’ to processed food. It is believed that consumption of processed food can lead to lifestyle diseases.
Before the food enters your mouth make sure you have read the label in the case of packaged food that can be heavily processed with preservatives disguised as ingredients.
Avoid refined food. Choose whole grains which are rich in nutrition and fiber.
Stay away from added sugar products. It is important that we eat fruits and nuts in its natural, unsweetened state.
Finally, the most important ingredient-WATER. Stay hydrated and make water your main beverage throughout the day.

Bringing in the recommended changes to your diet will help in the long term for a lean and healthy living.

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Keep in mind the below points the next time you buy cooking oil

We Indians are very particular when it comes to choosing cooking oil. But, are we consuming the right oil? Cooking oil is the primary ingredient that gives the right taste to your food.

Keep in mind the below points the next time you buy cooking oil.

MUFAs

Monounsaturated Fatty Acids are a better choice than Saturated Fatty Acids.

PUFAs

Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids are healthier. Sources of PUFA are salmon, vegetable oils, nuts and seeds. Note that PUFA enriched oils are rich in Omega – 3 – Fatty Acids.

Have you heard of the term “smoke point”? Smoke point is when the oil stops smoking or simmering. A stable oil has a high smoking point. Thus it is important to be careful not to smoke the oil too much because it will lose its natural properties and generates toxins that are harmful to our body.

It is always better to choose oil that is good for the heart such as Olive oil, sunflower oil and sesame oil. Olive oil is considered to be the healthiest cooking oil.

Sunflower oil – Studies prove that one teaspoon of sunflower oil contains 28% of nutrients that are required by a human on a daily basis. Rich in vitamin E, omega-6-fatty acids this oil is the most chosen cooking oil by South Indians.

Sesame oil is also widely used in many households for its flavour. Though it contains MUFAs and PUFAs it doesn’t carry any specific nutritional value. This oil has a higher smoke point thus it is safe to use in high heat recipes.

Three points to be remembered are MUFAs, PUFAs and smoke points of the oils. Now you are good to choose a healthy cooking oil for your heart.

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Why is the temperature of cooking oils important for a healthy family?

The healthy aspect of all cooking oils varies depending on the type of oil, how it is processed and how it is cooked. It is in our hands to choose wisely. We have to choose cooking oils that have healthy fats and a high smoking point. We are familiar with the types of fatty acids in oil. It includes PUFAs, MUFAs, omega -3 – fatty acids and omega – 6 – fatty acids. The second important thing to consider is the smoke point.

Let us understand what smoke points are in depth.

The smoke point is when the oil breaks down into free fatty acids and produced visible smoke.

Understanding about smoke point is essential to choose a healthy cooking oil because the main objective is to select the one which retains the nutritional value and also improves health. Studies have proved that heating oil beyond its smoke point can result in the formation of cancer causing agents.

Choose a cooking oil which has a high smoke point when you want to stir-fry or deep-fry. e.g. avocado oil, canola oil, corn oil, peanut oil. MUFAs enriched oil tend to have higher smoke point.
Be aware of the temperature of the oil. Do not leave oil in the pan for a long time. If you do so the oil will break down and release a chemical called acrolein. This is the reason for the burnt smell and taste in certain foods which require long cooking time.
Pumpkin seed oil, flaxseed oil and walnut oil have Low smoke points and are advised to use them for salad dressing or only for garnishing. PUFAs rich oil have a lower smoke point
It is recommended not to reuse frying oil because of this nature of forming harmful radicals in the form of trans fats.

We hope you will have a clear understanding about the relationship between temperature and cooking oil as you come to the end of this blog. Happy cooking!