We are FCC - Nº6

W E L L N E S S Modification of the nutritional value of food General guidelines The raw consumption of some foods such as fruits and vegetables is the best way to ensure the use of their nutrients. However, the application of culinary techniques makes it pos- sible and safe to eat other foods that without cooking would be difficult to use or could be dangerous. Thus, the main objectives of culinary tech- niques are to make food pleasant to the senses, useful for the organism and to eliminate bacteria that could produce food poisoning. Steaming, grilling, sautéing, cooking in papillo- te and microwave cooking are the culinary techniques that best pre- serve the nutritional value of the in- gredients. Cooking temperature and time, excessive use of fat, presence of smoke and flame, or dilution by excess water can all affect nutrient content. For example, long and in- tense cooking reduces the content of sensitive vitamins, cooking with lots of water reduces the content of minerals and some vitamins, or fr- ying, which preserves the nutritional value of foods well but increases the intake of calories from the fat ab- sorbed during the process. On the other hand, grilled cooking exposes food to potentially hazardous subs- tances, especially when there is di- rect flame or excess smoke. However, on other occasions, the extraction and use of nutrients and bioactive substances (phytochemi- Use salt and salty ingredients sparingly and choose techniques requiring less fats or oil. In raw foodstuffs , such as fruit and ve- getables if the skin is left on, wash tho- roughly with water and use a suitable disinfectant if necessary. Broiling: have a non-stick griddle and bring it to a high temperature to cook to the food quickly. Add olive oil to make cooking easier. Suitable for all foodstuffs, especially fish, meat and vegetables. S teaming: there are utensils adapted for this type of cooking, although it is also possible to cook in a pot full of water, using a metal strainer and lid to make cooking easier. Cooking time will vary depending on the size of the food. Ideal for seafood, fish, potatoes and vegetables. Papillote: this method involves cooking food in its own juice and, therefore, the food chosen must contain sufficient water, such as fish and vegetables. The food is placed on aluminium foil with other foods such as potatoes or vegetables, adding the dressing and closing the wrapper in several folds placing it then in the oven or on a frying pan. Stir-fry: quick cooking in a frying pan that makes it easy to stir the ingredients that should be cut very small. Cooked at a high temperature and in a short time. Oven: rather slow cooking for larger pie- ces of food. The presence of steam from water or from the food itself, combined with changes of temperature, from high to moderate, for- ms a crust on the surface of the food that retains their juices and maintains their jui- ciness. The nutritional value will depend on the type of food and the amount of fat added or contained in the food. cals) is greater in some foods when cooked with fat. This is the case of the typical vegetables and tomato- es sauté. Cooking these ingredients slowly in olive oil is more efficient for extracting compounds such as such as tomato carotenes (mainly lyco- pene) which in raw form are not as easily absorbed. W E L L N E S S 29