8 Cooking Secrets: Healthy Oils, Fats and Proteins

Cooking can be both a fun and nutritious hobby for many people. Not only do you add a dash of creativity to your daily routine, but you also fuel your body with healthy and delicious foods because you are using hand-picked, high-quality ingredients. The foundation of cooking, especially frying or sautéing, is fats. Fats include oils like olive oil and coconut oil, fruits like avocado, and animal products like butter, ghee, and tallow. Each fat has its own properties and flavor that makes a dish stand out. But when it comes to cooking, it's not just the taste that matters, but also the choice of fat you choose to cook with. Discover some of the cooking secrets for cooking with healthy oils, fats and proteins.

1. Smart Sauté

When using this cooking method, choose heart-healthy oil. Only use small amounts of canola, olive, or soybean oils when sautéing.

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2. Super Salads

Don’t turn a healthy salad choice into an unhealthy one by dousing it with fatty dressing. Make your own salad dressings using small amounts of olive, walnut, or pecan oil with lemon juice, salt and pepper.

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3. Omega-3 Benefits

Research has shown that omega-3 fatty acids are a healthy part of your diet. When choosing oils, look for those that contain omega-3 fatty acids, such as canola, soybean, and flaxseed oil.

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4. Fresh Flax

Use omega-3-rich flaxseed oil fresh from the bottle in salads or as a tasty alternative to butter on cooked vegetables. Refrigeration keeps it tasting fresh.

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5. Slow the Spray

When possible, avoid using oil spray. It adds more calories and fat than you’d think. If baking, parchment paper is a healthier choice.

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6. Trans Fat Trap

Many processed baked goods are high in unhealthy oils and trans-fat. Read the labels or bake fresh at home to ensure healthiness.

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7. Want Walnuts

Walnuts are an excellent way to add a heart-healthy punch to your everyday foods. Chopped walnuts are delicious added to cereal, oatmeal, salads and muffins. They’re high in calories, so eat them in small amounts.

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8. Super Eggs

Some, but not all, chickens are raised given high omega-3 feed. This results in a higher omega-3 egg. All eggs do contain cholesterol, so even these more heart-healthy eggs should be limited.

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