One of the most essential factors that contribute to a healthy lifestyle is a healthy diet. However, for a nice, healthy meal, you don’t need to detach from the pleasures of eating. In fact, with the right ingredients, they can be tasty too, but with less fat and oil and more nutrients and vitamins.
Whether you’re trying to engage in a new diet for a healthier lifestyle, looking for new recipes that can help you add a new flavor to your palette, or simply wanting to easily determine whether the food you are buying or making is good for your health, here are the ways on how you can tell whether a recipe is healthy.
Spot Healthy and Unhealthy Ingredients on the Recipe
One of the best ways to tell whether a recipe is healthy is by looking at its ingredients. Make sure that you avoid sugar and salt, as they both are some of the common ingredients added for taste. While too much sugar can cause weight gain and diabetes, too much salt can cause high blood pressure which can lead to heart attack and stroke according to studies.
Better alternatives for these are using naturally flavored ingredients. For sweets, you can use fruits, such as bananas and applesauce. On the other hand, the best alternatives for salt as a flavor enhancer are herbs, garlic and onion, and even citrus fruits. These alternatives contain vitamins and minerals that can help you combat sicknesses and strengthen your immune system.
Scan for Processed Ingredients
Some use processed ingredients in recipes, such as canned fruits, and even preserved corn, meat, and vegetables, as they are convenient. Being easily bought and used, they reduce meal preparation time and last longer for storage. Commonly, these are used by people wanting to start a healthier diet, but do not have the time to do so. According to experts, not only do these contain too much sugar, sodium, and fat, but they are also lacking in nutritional value.
Instead of these, opt for recipes that use fresh produce, as well as those alternatives containing lower fat. These options will allow you to truly optimize your diet, supplying you with all the vitamins and minerals you need without compromising your health.
Healthy Cooking Method – A Must
A healthy cooking method not only uses less fat, but it also preserves the nutrients and natural flavor of the ingredients without sacrificing taste. Choose recipes that involve roasting, sautéing, baking, grilling, steaming, boiling, or stewing rather than deep-frying. If deep-frying is absolutely necessary, stir-fry the ingredients in healthy oils such as olive oil or walnut oil, both of which contain healthy fats. You can also fry with a pastry brush using only a small amount of oil.
Eating Healthy in Dubai
If you are from a past-paced environment like the UAE, you may find yourself lacking time to prepare healthy meals, or even looking into the ingredients of recipes and assessing whether or not they are good for you. You can make this easier by opting to order and eat at a healthy cafe in Dubai like 100 Cafe – where everything is freshly prepared and ensured nutritious for you. For more information, https://thehundred.ae/the-100-cafe/.
