The way you cook your recipe can really make a difference on how healthy it is. If you have substituted ingredients for healthier versions but then fry it, you can drastically reduce the meals health benefits.

You can still prepare all your favorite meals using less fat than one of the following methods.

• Cook with natural ingredients
• Look for healthier substitutes for recipes
• Start the year with healthier choices

Beyond that, here are 9 cooking techniques that will help you in preparing a healthier meal.

1. Baking does not require access oil. If you are baking meat however, use a drip pan to remove excess fat away from the meats.

2. Boiling also does not require additional fat. Try to minimize the amount of time vegetables and fruits are boiled so you don’t lose too many nutrients. You can also use the water from boiling in the recipe to add back some of the nutrients lost

3. Steaming is great for cooking vegetables. Steaming is good because it helps keep the nutrients in the vegetables and fruits.

4. Stir-fry only requires a little bit of oil. Vegetables are cooked quickly and so they keep their texture, flavor, color and nutrients.

5. Sautéing your food will also keep its texture while using just very minimal oil. .

6. Poaching your food is another great way to cook. Try to let the water boil so you don’t lose vitamins and minerals into the water.

7. Roasting meats and vegetables is like baking but requires higher temperatures. Use a drip pan for meats so that they can accumulate away from the foods. Avoid using the fat to baste your meats, instead use fat-free juices like lemon juice.

8. Grilling is good because it gives your food the taste without the added fat and oil. Nevertheless try to avoid charring to prevent consumption of carcinogens.

9. Stewing is a great way to add more vegetables to a meal. You don’t need added fat and stewed foods retain its nutrients.

Other things you can consider for a healthier meal

Fruits: If you are cooking with fruits, resist the temptation to add more sugar. Fruits are naturally sweet. If you choose fruits that are in season, they will be at their sweetest!

Vegetables: Cook quickly to minimise the loss of nutrients. The longer they are cooking, the more vitamins and minerals are being lost. The water you used to cook the vegetables will have the nutrients, if you can use some of that water in your recipe, you can add back some of the lost nutrients.

Grains: Grains can easily be cooked in a pot or even a rice cooker. To get the most nutrients out of the whole grains, soak 1 cup of grains with 2 tablespoons of plain yogurt. Soak it overnight like you would beans. Soaking the grains makes the nutrients in the grains easier to digest.

Protein: Remove the fatty portions off of the meat or poultry before you start cooking.

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