How to Cook Healthy Jewish Food
Jewish food has a long, rich history. Unfortunately, according to A Healthy Me, a website by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts, "even in this cholesterol-sensitive era, few cooks have tried to trim the fat from Jewish food." Cooking healthy Jewish food is relatively easy with just a few simple steps designed to keep dietary balance in mind during the food-preparation process.
- Difficulty:
- Easy
Instructions
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Cook food traditionally, but do so in moderation. According to JoyOfJewish.com, "When it comes to Jewish food, the phrase 'eating healthy' simply means 'eating less of it.'" Many traditional dishes can be unhealthy when eaten excessively. Limit your intake of traditional, high-fat recipes.
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Substitute high-fat ingredients with modern alternatives. Use low-fat oils and fat-free dairy products to reduce the fat and cholesterol content in Jewish cooking.
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Research low-fat Jewish recipes and read contemporary literature on the subject. Two good options are "Food For the Soul" by Chana Rubin, and "Healthy Helpings" by Norene Gilletz; both books provide low-fat recipes for traditional Jewish foods as well as practical advice for healthy Kosher eating (see Resources).
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4
Reduce your meat intake and opt for less-fatty Jewish foods. Cooking vegetarian dishes generally leads to a lower fat intake. For meaty dishes, consider using Kosher tofu instead of liver to get your daily recommended protein without excessive fat content. J. M. Hirsch recommends using seitan (a wheat protein) in place of beef in the Associated Press article, "Mix History and Modernity for Healthy Holiday Fare."
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