Cooking fat adds tremendous amount extra calories to food, even those which are low in fat. An additional teaspoon of fat has about 45 calories and 5 grams of fat. For example, three tablespoons of oil in a salad can add about 300 calories to it. Imagine how many grams of fat there are in fried potatoes! Here are a few tricks on how to reduce fat in cooking.
1. Use cooking spray instead of butter or oil, or at least prefer liquid oils to solid fats (preferably canola oil or olive oil).
2. Choose extra lean meat and chicken without skin.
3. Remove all visible fat from meat.
4. Broil, grill, or sauté your food. Prepare the vegetables in a steam bath, boil eggs instead of frying. To saute is one way to cook with minimal fat.
5. Express fat from stews and meats by placing them on kitchen paper after cooking.
6. Use more vegetables, beans and whole-grain foods to replace part of the fat content of the meat.
7. Dip chicken and fish in breadcrumbs instead of flour and bake them instead of frying them.
8. Select sausages made from chicken or turkey instead of pork or beef.
9. Use one egg and two egg whites in your favorite dishes with eggs or cakes, or reduce the fat and cholesterol completely, by using egg substitutes.
10. Substitute two meat meals a week with fish or vegetarian dishes.
11. Use chicken broth or fat-free products without fat, like mashed potatoes, soups, sauces and stews.
12. Try using skimmed condensed milk in cream soups and casseroles, instead of cream.
13. Use herbs, spices and salsa to flavor your food.
Instead of using oil and grease, use a lot of spices and cook with flavored liquids such as broth, tomato juice or wine. Sweeten dishes with fresh fruit. To keep your meals low in fat, high in fiber, you need to learn how to use fruits, vegetables, beans and whole grains with good taste.
Your choice of cooking method can make a big difference in the amount of fat you eat. Grill, steam and boil instead of frying. Use non-stick cookware and you will not need butter or margarine for cooking food.
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