We eat not only because we want to live; we eat because we love food and also because eating with family and friends makes life more enjoyable. However, aside from making sure that the food we prepare and serve is delicious, we also have to ensure that what we are serving them is healthy food.
Here are four (4) kinds of food or food ingredients that we must try very hard to avoid using in our recipes in order to ensure that our food is healthy.
1. Butter
Butter
Avoid using butter in the food! I’m sure you’ll have at least two questions running in your mind. One, you might be asking why and what’s wrong with butter?
The answer is simple: butter is made from unsaturated fat, one of the unhealthiest fats there is. Unsaturated fat has been found to be a main culprit in terms of the development of obesity. Butter is used excessively in almost all kinds of sweet foods such as desserts like pastries and cakes. Excessive consumption of butter is also strongly linked to other serious, long term health conditions like cardiovascular disease, Alzheimer’s disease, and even some forms of cancer.
The second question would probably be … or you might be wondering how a particular food will taste like if it requires butter as an ingredient and you don’t use butter in it? My answer? It may taste different, but it sure will be healthier.
So, if, for example the food that you are cooking or preparing requires butter as an ingredient, try substituting it with, say, olive oil. Olive oil is a fat just like butter, and it has this distinct but great taste when used in food. And most importantly, it’s a healthier substitute, so it’s better than butter.
Sugar
Minimizing the use of sugar, or totally avoiding the use of sugar in food preparation is also ideal. Well, how will the food taste without sugar? I suppose you’d be asking this question. The point here is simple; we substitute sugar with healthier options like honey.
It’s true that sugar contains only very minimal calories, but many a times we consume so much sweet food like desserts, it all adds up to too much sweet, hence too much calories. Sugar is a very big contributor to obesity, which also causes diabetes, a very serious illness that are now affecting many people not only in the United States but all throughout the world.
Salt
Salt
Less salt: this is the advice health experts give to people who wants to live long healthy lives. When the salt intake is very high, there is a greater risk of developing chronic health conditions such as arterial disease and stroke.
How will the food taste if salt will be reduced? Food will taste bland! Health experts suggest substituting salt shaker with herbs and spices to make food taste better. Herbs and spices will not only improve the flavor of the foods, it will also help ensure that your food is healthier.
White Carbohydrates
Lastly, avoid any food that’s made up of white carbohydrates. White carbohydrates are any type of carbohydrate that is made from bleached white flour. Examples of these types of food include white bread and pasta. Do you know that these foods have been stripped of the majority of their fiber? Fiber, as we all know, is one of the most important components of any grain as it helps keep the digestive system healthy and clean. If you really need to use bread, use whole wheat bread as they are healthier.
