Reviews by Hubie Goode: Healthy Fat Free Cooking for Weight Loss

Healthy Fat Free 

Cooking for Weight Loss   

by John Chancellor

The human body is a complex machine and every person has different needs and body structure. While some seem to be able to eat rich and fatty foods without putting on a pound, most of us sooner or later are forced to try to reduce the amount of fat we consume in order to control our weight

Unfortunately we often associate the idea of "low-fat" cooking with the word "Yuck" and we all dread boring and tasteless food! Low fat does not necessarily mean tasteless. With some creativity and a dash of imagination you can now easily whip up fat free or low fat dishes which are both healthy and fun.

The first thing we need to remember is that a healthy body needs a reasonable amount of fat in our diets in order to operate properly and all fats are not same. The most important consideration in low fat diets is to avoid saturated fats. These saturated fats not only derived from animal sources, like fatty red meat, lard and butter, but also from vegetable sources such as palm oil or coconut oil.

Another type of fat that you need to stay away from is hydrogenated trans-fats which are often found in commercially fried foods like french fries or doughnuts. The oil that is extracted from seeds and nuts or other vegetable oils like safflower, olive, soy, and corn are polyunsaturated and mono-unsaturated fats. The healthiest and most important fats are Omega 3 fatty acid that comes from seafood, cod liver oil, and flax seed oil.

There are a few minor changes that you can make in the kitchen that will have a huge impact on your overall fat intake. When are cooking vegetables, try to steam them in a microwave or steamer. Many meat dishes can also be steamed as well. When you buy meat be sure to trim all visible excess fat, and avoid frying at all costs! Choose instead to boil, broil, bake or grill.

While making broths use light spices and avoid consuming thick gravies with cream sauces, instead make sauces of pureed vegetables sauces. Most dried or canned soups are not very healthy and can hinder in losing weight since they contain preservatives and high salts.

While preparing sauces and soups, substitute creams with skimmed milk; if the recipe requires cream, substitute low fat yogurt instead. Opt for sandwiches that are made with whole grain bread, and add lettuce and other green veggies. Instead of dinner rolls or white bread, make servings with whole wheat and sourdough breads.

Finally, avoid sugary sodas and opt for more servings of water or fruit juices instead. Pay attention to these simple ideas, and you can easily reduce the amount of fat you take into your body without sacrificing flavor!

About the Author

John Chancellor is a sports nut and a freelance writer