12 Ways Cooking at Home Might Be Wrecking Your Health (Without You Realizing)
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Cooking at home is a great way to know what you’re eating, play with new flavors, and sometimes save some money too. However, what most people don’t know is that homemade meals are also full of sneaky health hazards. There are several ways our home cooking habits could be hurting health goals, without ever realizing it.
Here’s a list of everyday cooking habits that hides hidden health risks to keep your time in the kitchen beneficial and nourishing.
Using Too Much Oil
Most of us have probably slung a splash of oil without giving it a second thought. Cooking oils are calorie and fat rich. While a little bit of healthy fats is good, pouring too much oil can easily make a healthy stir fry a calorie bomb. If you keep a measuring spoon nearby, you can make sure your meals don’t get out of control with the fats.
Relying on Processed Ingredients
Time saving sauces, seasoning mixes, and instant foods are ready made, but they are often packed full of preservatives, added sugars, and sodium. Canned foods and even pre made marinades are common culprits. Processed ingredients can also put unwanted ingredients into what you thought was a healthy homemade meal. A more wholesome way is to prepare your own sauces and seasonings and they can be just as flavorful.
Cooking Veggies at High Heat
Most of the nutrients in our veggies can be lost when we cook them at too high a temperature for too long. Frying or grilling your meal will break down the vitamins, which reduces the health benefits of your meal. Instead, why not steam or sauté on low heat to keep as many of those nutrients as you can.
Proper Food Storage Neglect
After cooking a meal, we often leave the leftovers out on the counter longer than they should be or we don’t keep them in the fridge properly. It can also allow bacteria to grow, and cause health risks. To prevent bacteria, it’s important to cool food quickly, refrigerate it in airtight containers and don’t leave it out for long periods of time.
Failing to Rotate Oils
Putting the same bottle of cooking oil on the shelf for months? Over time, oils can go rancid and develop off-flavors, as well as lose nutritional value. Some rancid oils even contain harmful free radicals that aren’t good for the body. A small step towards improving both the taste and the safety of your dishes is using fresh oils and storing them in cool, dark places.
Skipping Fresh Vegetables
Skipping fresh produce for frozen or canned veggies is not doing your body any good. It is convenient, but many preserved veggies lose some of their natural vitamins. Fresh vegetables add extra fiber, antioxidants and more vibrant flavors — even if it means a little bit more prep time in the kitchen.
Not Washing Produce Properly
Buying organic does not mean that produce is pesticide free, or that it is dirt or bacteria free! A thorough wash might help you skip bringing contaminants directly into your meals. Thorough rinsing under cold water and scrubbing thicker skinned produce can help to remove unwanted residues before they hit your plate.
Hot Food Using Plastic Containers
It’s harmless, right? We place hot food in plastic containers, but some plastics release chemicals like BPA that can leach into food, especially when they’re warm. Glass or stainless steel is better for hot items. This small switch can prevent your food from being contaminated that you don’t want it to be.
Reheating Oils for Frying
It’s resourceful to reuse oil from a previous fry session, but reheating oils can break down their structure, releasing potentially toxic compounds and losing flavor. You can avoid these issues and keep your food tasting better and healthier, if you use fresh oil for each session.
Adding Too Much Salt
A pinch here, a sprinkle there, and soon that sodium can add up fast. Most people season dishes to taste, not realizing how easily you can go overboard on the daily recommended sodium limit. High salt intake can strain the heart over time and cause blood pressure problems. Herbs, lemon juice and spices are a simple way to add flavor without putting you at risk.
Refined Over Whole Grains
Refined grains like white rice or white bread cook quickly and are often softer in texture, so it’s easy to fall back on them. But many of these refined options lack fiber and nutrients that whole grains contain and cause your blood sugar to spike more quickly. Use whole grains like brown rice or whole wheat pasta to help you feel fuller and help digestion.
Overusing Non-Stick Cookware
While non stick pans are a godsend when it comes to easy cleanup, these non stick pans often contain chemicals like PFOA and PFOS (which release toxins when heated to high temperatures). You may be getting these toxins through your food and adding a potential health risk. Cookware made of stainless steel or cast iron can be a healthier alternative, but you’ll have to use a little more oil and you’ll have to take care of them a bit more.
Disclaimer: This list is solely the author’s opinion based on research and publicly available information.
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