Healthy Cooking Substitutes

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By Christina Barber
eHow Contributing Writer

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Choosing a healthy diet is important for a multitude of reasons. Eating healthy can help prevent obesity, cancer and other health risks, including heart disease, high cholesterol and hypertension. Knowing how to cook using substitutions for the less desirable ingredients such as high-fat items or oils can make all the difference to maintaining a healthful diet.

Know the Words

When reviewing a recipe, you need to remember some key words to help steer clear of unhealthy cooking methods.

Avoid words such as fried, deep fried, sauteed or smothered. These are indicators that the meal is loaded with additional fats. Instead, look for words like baked, broiled, poached or steamed. These key words indicate a healthier cooking technique.

Meats

Not all meat is created equal. Many types of meat contain high amounts of fats and cholesterol. Among the high-fat meats are beef, organ meats (such as liver) and pork.

Instead, choose chicken or turkey. And keep in mind that white meat from chicken and turkey is much leaner than dark meat (legs and thighs), thus making the best choice the breast of the poultry.

Fish

Fish is an excellent source of lean protein. Substituting fish for any meat is the best choice for a healthful diet. Fish contains omega-3, an important oil in the fight against cholesterol.

Oils

The best oil choices are olive oil and grapeseed oil. Both oils have heart-healthy fats that help maintain a healthful diet.

Stay away from vegetable oil and margarine because they have a high saturated fat content that is not part of a healthy diet.

Of course, no matter which oil you choose, it is important to remember that oils should be used sparingly.

Vegetables

Try going vegetarian more often. Incorporating more vegetables into your diet is an excellent way to eat healthy. The healthiest vegetables are the dark green leafy variety. Not only do the dark green vegetables contain fiber, which helps you feel fuller longer, but they also help the body maintain good health. Green leafy vegetables are spinach, kale, romaine lettuce, collard greens, mustard greens and broccoli.

Try using portabello mushrooms instead of meat. They have a thick texture that can feel as though you are eating meat.

Beans

Beans are another great substitution for meats. Beans are not only a great source of lean protein, but they also provide additional nutrients and fiber, all part of a healthful diet.

Try an all-bean chili or soup. Remember that spices are an important part of the meal, and many times the focus (like in chili), so don't hesitate to substitute beans or lean protein, but be sure to use plenty of spice.