Top cooking tips to stay in shape!

A little effort can go a long way when it comes to preparing healthy meals.

Did you know that you should scrub vegetables rather than peel them, or that whole meal pasta is more filling than the regular white variety?

There are several methods of cooking to retain the nutritive value of food. Here are some tips to help you do just that.

General tips

• Cut off all visible fat from meat.
• Remove all skin from poultry before cooking.
• Weigh, do not guess your portions.
• Scrub rather than peel vegetables.
• Avoid nibbling.

Do you have any healthy cooking tips to share? Write in to us at getahead@rediff.co.in (subject line: 'Cooking tips') and we'll publish the best ones right here.

Try using some of the items below in order to save nutritional content and minimise the use of fat in cooking:

• A steamer for fish and vegetables: This is clean and easy to use, although it is slower than boiling or baking. As the food is not immersed in water, valuable vitamins and minerals cannot leak out.
• Wok: An ancient but highly efficient cooking implement that requires only a tiny amount of oil or water for cooking. Its shape helps to spread the heat quickly and evenly, so food can cook in minutes and thus retain its nutritional content.
• Using a food processor for chopping up vegetables.
• Microwave cooker: Great for baked potatoes, the hungry dieter's healthy fast food.