harmful compounds,” suggests Clark.
Such oils let you cook at a high
temperature safely – the food cooks
quicker and absorbs less oil, which is
also better for your waistline. The oils
also contain healthy nutrients within
themselves, such as omega 3 and 6
fatty acids, vitamins and antioxidants.
Oils with the highest smoke point are
peanut (450°C) and avocado (520°C)
but even olive and coconut oil, butter
or ghee are great choices. “Similarly, if
you’re deep frying, while most nutrients
are lost, reduce harm by using a new
batch of high smoke point oil and
shallow instead of deep fry,” says Clark.
Sautéing and stir-frying
Both methods are quick and versatile,
allowing you to get a lot of vegetables
into your diet. “Frying relatively small
pieces of food in a hot pan or wok with
little fat leaves the vegetables soft on
the outside and crunchy on the inside,
so it’s a great way to get antioxidant
benefits into your diet,” says Heslop.
In order to boost health, use a high
smoke point oil and keep the cooking
time short to control oil oxidation.
Clark also suggests to stir constantly,
so food doesn’t catch at the bottom. If
you add sauces, make sure they’re low
in sodium and sugar.
Roasting
Roasting uses the dry heat of an oven
to cook food in a tray, either at a high
temperature for a short time or a low
temperature for a long time. “Roasting
meat or vegetables encourages
deep earthy f lavours to come out
as the longer you cook something
in its juices, the more it evolves and
maintains nutrients,” says Heslop. “To
make roasting more beneficial, cut the
fat off the meat and use some olive
oil to sustain temperatures but also
to make it possible for the fat-soluble
nutrients of vegetables to be better
absorbed by the body.” Make sure you
don’t overcook and for lower fat and
calories use water.
Baking
Similar to roasting but used mostly
for breads, cakes and muffins at a
lower temperature, baking allows
food to become crusty on the outside
and f luffy on the inside. “While most
vitamins and minerals are preserved, to
make it more nutritious add nuts and
seeds, healthful f lours like wholemeal
or almond meals and better oils like
coconut oil,” says Clark. Similarly, add
natural sweeteners such as stevia and
maple syrup instead of white sugar.Confit
Confit involves cooking meat slowly
in its own or another animal’s fat.
“Essentially the meat you’re cooking
is just getting more and more f lavour
of that animal for a richer taste,” says
Heslop. With no worthwhile nutrients
retained, choose organic, grass fed or
biodynamic meats, says Clark.Searing
Searing can be done on the barbecue
or a hot surface with oil. The outside
of the food is quickly browned to
seal in natural juices and moisture
and it adds a crispy outer to meat,
fish and other proteins. The process
is completed with another cooking
method such as braising or roasting
for a rare middle and strong f lavours.
“Searing is a really good way to
retain B vitamins as only one side of
the food is persistently exposed to
high heat,” says Clark. “Additionally,
because of its crusty texture and
soft inside, it requires more energyfrom our bodies to digest, which
means our metabolic rate has to rise,
increasing its fat-burning potential,”
says Clark. To reduce calories and fat
content use olive oil instead of butter.Boiling
Boiling is a quick and easy method to
cook your produce and it only requires
water and a touch of salt. “Keep your
green vegetables al dente and cook
your root vegetables through so you
have a nice soft texture,” says Heslop.
While boiling is an ideal cooking
method for legumes and beans, it’s
problematic when it comes to cooking
vegetables. “I don’t recommend this
method because the high volume of
water used means the water-soluble
vitamins end up leaching into the
water,” says Clark. Research suggests
that 60 to 70 per cent of minerals areTO MAKE ROASTING MORE
BENEFICIAL, CUT THE
FAT OFF THE MEAT AND
USE SOME OLIVE OIL TO
SUSTAIN TEMPERATURES
BUT ALSO TO MAKE IT
POSSIBLE FOR THE FAT
SOLUBLE NUTRIENTS OF
VEGETABLES TO BE BETTER
ABSORBED BY THE BODY.