All carbohydrate-containing products have thiscalled the "glycemic index". The lower it is, the better the product satisfies hunger, since the energy is released more slowly, and it lasts you a long time. Therefore, the closer the product is to raw - the better if you are trying to lose weight. Products are better absorbed if the product has been processed. The longer you cook and the higher the temperature, the better the carbohydrates are absorbed. This does not mean that you are doomed to endless salads, although their benefits are undeniable. Vegetables can be steamed, sautéed, lightly boiled without destroying all the useful things in them. Baking, grilling and stewing are not so harmful, if you follow certain rules. It is important to remember the following: 1. Different types of processing preserve or do not preserve the valuable elements of the product - vitamins, fatty acids and antioxidants. 2. Depending on the cooking time and temperature, the glycemic index (i.e. glucose content) in the finished dish changes. 3. Depending on the cooking method, harmful substances may appear in the dish.
Meat cooking methods
Cooking
Pros: no need to stand over the stove, it cooks itself.Cons: increases the amount of glucose in carbohydrate-containing products (vegetables, root vegetables). If you are losing weight, and this is a matter of principle - choose steam. Subtlety: to minimize losses - take as little water as possible, keep the lid tightly closed. It is better not to cook vegetables until soft, let them crunch a little.
Steamed
Methods of cooking vegetablesPros:Most vitamins are preserved, the glycemic index hardly increases. Cons: Many children and men do not like it. Products that need to be cooked for a long time - potatoes, root vegetables, red meat - turn out much less tasty in a steamer than you would like. Subtlety: it is best to use for the most delicate products - green vegetables, young small carrots, fresh fish. Vegetables from a steamer will not seem bland if you serve them with sauces, and not just salt and pepper after cooking.
Browsing
Pros: Great compromise:frying and adding oil allows you to get a dish with a "real" taste, while the loss of nutrients is not so great. Cons: The process requires your active participation.
Subtleties:The same rule applies to vegetables as to boiling - it is better to have slightly raw, slightly crispy pieces in the middle than a soft mass. You will need a shallow frying pan with a thick bottom and a tight-fitting lid. You can do without oil at all: pour in a couple of tablespoons of water, vegetable broth, soy sauce (or dilute the sauce with which you will serve the finished dish with water - tomato, sour cream, etc.). Put the frying pan on low heat. As soon as the liquid boils - add the vegetables and quickly stir for a few minutes, then turn up the heat, add a spoon or two of the same liquid, and cover with a lid. After a couple of minutes, reduce the heat and bring the dish to readiness.
Extinguishing
Pros: even faster and more practical than sautéing. Does not require fat.
Cons:vegetables lose more vitamins and become more caloric than when steamed. Many people prefer fried meat, fish and poultry. Subtlety: the cooking process is similar to sautéing, but without pre-frying. You can stew fish or meat in vegetable broth with the addition of spices, garlic, ginger, lemongrass and wine - you will get a delicious sauce, you will not want any mayonnaise.
Baking
Pros:A very convenient method, especially for products with thick skin or large size - for example, pumpkin. It is convenient to cook many portions at once. Cons: During the baking process, fats oxidize and free radicals (these are active harmful molecules) are added to the dish. The higher the temperature and the longer the cooking time, the higher the glycemic index becomes. Subtleties: it is good to bake without oil, for example, potatoes, lean meat and fish in foil or on a thin slice of bread (some use Armenian lavash).
Frying
Pros: It's familiar, tasty and nutritious.
Cons: But harmful:fats are oxidized and the amount of free radicals increases (which is not good for anyone), carbohydrates are converted into an easily digestible form (not for those who want to lose weight). Subtleties: for frying, it is better to use butter (saturated fats) or olive oil (monounsaturated), and avoid polyunsaturated - sunflower, corn and soy, as they oxidize when fried. It is better not to heat them, but to add them to salads.
Grill
Pros:does not require fat, convenient for a large number of portions. Cons: it is important not to overcook - the darker the crust, the more free radicals in the product. Subtleties: it is best to cook fatty meat and juicy vegetables - eggplants, zucchini, tomatoes.
Microwave
Pros: Fast.Since the products are cooked in their own juice, water-soluble vitamins B and C are preserved. Cons: A recent study by Spanish scientists showed that broccoli cooked in a microwave lost most of its antioxidants (these are the substances that help get rid of free radicals) compared to those cooked in a steamer. Subtleties: When cooking in a microwave, the fatty parts of the product get especially hot, so do not cook fatty fish in it - the beneficial fatty acids will be destroyed.
If you prefer a microwave, useit at minimum power and temperature, even at the expense of saving time. Cover the dishes so that the products are in the steam - although there should be a small gap for the steam to escape. Cook only in glass or ceramic dishes. It is better not to use plastic dishes at all, even for heating, and using cling film (for example, as a lid) is also not worth it. If you do not have a lid - use baking paper or a flat plate, napkin or paper towel.
