We have to admit that there are people who love to eat and people who love to cook. As for me, I am both. I love to cook my own food, and by doing so I can save money going to fancy restaurants.
I can also avoid having to wait for my food or have a limited choice on the menu. Aside from my passion to cook, I am also concerned about my health so I watch what I eat making sure that all the food I cook is fresh and healthy.
I have read lots of articles about the top ten healthy recipes, top ten healthiest hers and foods but I have never read an article which concerns health in the cooking area. The kitchen is the place where we create food and that is the reason we should always keep it clean. The Foodies Wiki have a bunch of guidelines on health related issues on your diet chart, you can have a look for specific food related health concerns there.
So I have listed 10 of the best practices in my own kitchen.
- Wash your produce
This is very basic to all people that know how to cook. We should know that the vegetables we buy at the supermarket had been sprayed with pesticides. This is the reason why the vegetables look so perfect because there was no worm or insect that even got a nibble. So how should you wash your produce? First, rinse it with running water before peeling or slicing and wash it again after slicing.
Meat should also be washed thoroughly before cooking to remove the excess blood that settled on the surface of the meat. Washing meat before cooking reduces the chances of you getting sick. It also washes away the smell of old blood on the meat.
- Sterilize your chopping boards
Chopping boards are a must have in the kitchen but sometimes we forget to clean them properly. Have you ever noticed your chopping boards to have stains that are hard to remove? This is due to the food residue that was stuck on the tiniest of ridges on the chopping board. This food residue encourages bacteria and sometimes mold to form in the chopping board. We may think that we remove them by washing or brushing them but they will keep on coming back. The best way to remove this is to sterilize the chopping board by soaking it in hot water. After sterilizing the chopping board, it is best to wipe it with vinegar to disinfect then rinse it with clean, running water.
- Separate your chopping boards
Have you ever heard of cross contamination? This is the process of unintentionally transferring bacteria from one object to another. This happens when you use the same chopping board for cutting and slicing raw meat and vegetables. The live bacteria in the meat can sometimes thrive off the vegetable residue and it will start to contaminate the chopping board. This can result in your food becoming unhealthy and will make you sick. So it is best to separate them by using color-coded chopping boards.
And as always, sterilize your chopping boards.
- Use cast iron pots and pans
Iron is an important element in the human body. It keeps our blood healthy as it is a major component of the hemoglobin. The hemoglobin carries oxygen and spreads it throughout the body. When we cook using cast iron pans or pots, the high temperature transfers some of the iron molecules in the food that we consume. So not only does the cast iron pan helps in making good food due to its versatility, but it can also make us healthy.
- Keep your kitchen clean
This is a no brainer. Keeping your kitchen clean is a must when you cook. Throw away those kitchen scraps. Disinfect your sink using vinegar, and rinse with water. You can also make a vinegar and water solution and spray it on your table to disinfect it. Having an orderly kitchen will also make cooking easier. Organize your utensils in such a way that it is easy for you to access them.
- Throw away rotten food
Some people forget to throw away rotten food. Sometimes it is also unavoidable when we go on out-of-town trips and we leave some food in the fridge and it gets spoiled in there. Not throwing away rotten food will not only produce a foul-smelling odor in the kitchen, but it will also cause other food to rot and it may also cause sickness for the people in your household. As the saying goes, “Put one rotten tomato in a pile of fresh ones and they will all rot”. Well, this is true in every literal sense.
- Defrost frozen food before cooking
Salmonella. A very nasty bacteria that causes severe stomach problems and it was a cause of some fatalities in the past. Unfortunately, freezing does not kill the bacteria so if the meat is not properly thawed then immediately cooked, the bacteria will still be alive when it enters your system and that will be bad news. It is best to defrost frozen meat in room temperature, do not soak it in water as other people do. When it is thawed, wash the meat with clean water and it should be cooked at a minimum temperature of 74deg.
- Try to use garlic and onions as much as possible
Aside from iron, the nutrients we get from garlic and onions are very healthy and promotes good blood health. Garlic and onions help regulate blood pressure when eaten on a regular basis. Try toasting your garlic before adding your stir fry ingredients, it will give your food a wonderful flavor.
- Go organic on vegetables
Organic food is a trend in today’s culinary world. With everyone being health conscious, everyone wants to eat organic food. But how can we know that what we buy is really organic food? Well, for starters, it is not as big as the non-organic food that we buy and the shape may not be as picture perfect. It will also taste much better when eaten since the nutrients it got all its nutrients from the soil, not from synthetic fertilizers. Still, the best way to know that your vegetables are organic is to plant them yourself. It is therapeutic and rewarding to grow your own food.
- Wash your hands
The most important thing to do before and after cooking is to wash your hands. You may think that your hands are clean but you never know what bacteria rests in your palms. It is better to wash your hands and fingers properly with soap and water before touching the food that you will cook. You should also wash your hands after cooking.
So these are the 10 of the best practices in my kitchen. I hope it helps you in your kitchen so that all of us live our lives in the healthiest way possible.
