Healthy Cooking Tips from Dr. Weil

Even if you use the healthiest of ingredients in your recipes, certain cooking techniques can literally eradicate the goodness from foods. Try the following techniques for healthy cooking:

1 Avoid using charcoal or gas grills, which can increase the production of cancer-causing chemicals. Instead, use an electric grill.

2 Steam your vegetables. Boiling can deplete vegetables of many of their nutrients, while steaming removes far less of the good stuff, and leaves vegetables with a wonderful taste and texture.

3 To reduce the amount of fat when cooking, use broiling, baking and roasting pans (drizzle your items with extra-virgin olive oil instead of drowning them in butter or margarine). Chinese steamers or stir-fry pans are also good low-fat cooking options.

4 Never microwave anything in plastic wrap or plastic containers. If you must microwave, use glass containers and covers.

5 Replace all saturated fats in your kitchen with extra-virgin olive oil, canola oil (organic, expeller-pressed), grapeseed or walnut oils - these monounsaturated fats are far healthier than their saturated relatives.