Essential Healthy Cooking Gadgets/Tools for a Healthier You
Healthy Kitchen Tools
Are you tired of eating out? Or are you wary of what’s in the fast food you just ate? Eating out may be expedient but if you were to pause and calculate the amount of calories and trans fat, food additives and preservatives used to produce those tasty morsels, you may think twice. At least about eating out once too often—not to mention, the price it would exact on your wallet. Health experts agree that healthy eating is very important to the overall health of your body and what better way to do that than preparing your own meals? Preparing your own meals make you master of your own dietary destiny. You control what goes in your food and that makes you very powerful, in the kitchen, at least. Whether you’re cooking to control your weight, to meet some dietary needs or to follow your doctor’s advice—you own it when you make your own food.
But what is a cook without his cooking tools? The rhetorical question doesn’t need answering—cooking tools are essential and investing in kitchen aids or appliances to make your food preparation easier is the ultimate way to go. Here some essential healthy cooking tools:
Nutri-weight Dietary Computer Scale
How do you like a smart scale that tells you everything you need to know about the food you’re about to eat? A nutri-weight dietary computer scale can do that—weighs the food, calculate the amount of calories in the food, shows a breakdown of proteins, carbohydrates, total fat, total fiber as well as sodium, cholesterol and the glycemic index of the food. How about that? It even tracks your food intake and allows you to review the progress over time. No second guessing—what you see is what you get. This dietary computer scale is especially essential for weight-watchers or those on a restrictive diet.
Knives
Try cutting meat with a blunt knife. The simple act of cutting can make your brow perspire as your knife fights to work its way through. Instead of a clean cut, you may have a bloody mess. Why make a task out of this? Invest in some sharp knives to make your food preparation easy and enjoyable. A butcher block of knives is nice but essentially, you only need three types: a serrated knife, a 9 to 10 inch chef’s knife and a paring knife. These are the basics but you can get fancy and buy a range of them. Investing in a set of good knives is like investing in a good education—they will yield their returns for a long time. A helpful tip to remember—never buy a knife without holding it first. It has to feel natural and comfortable in your hand.
Measuring Spoons and Cups
A lot of cooking calls for measuring—a cup here, a teaspoon there, a tablespoon or two. While cooking can tolerate less exact science, baking often calls for exact measurement that is best when adhered to. Look for a set of measuring spoons and at least two sets of measuring cups. One set for measuring liquids and another for measuring dry ingredients.
If you’re looking for modern twist to traditional measuring spoon or cup, why not try NuScup—this gadget has a movable bottom that adjusts to the measurement required, so you don’t have to mess with a separate cup or spoon. It comes in two sizes and you don’t have to worry about storage space either. It has a magnet bottom and you can conveniently stick it to the fridge, microwave or whenever it’s convenient.
Cutting Boards
No kitchen is complete without cutting boards. Cutting boards can accumulate lots of cracks and crevices with use and these crevices are good hiding places for bacteria. One of them include salmonella, one of the common food-borne bacteria that can cause health risks. Choosing a good cutting board is therefore crucial to the overall scheme of health. Plastic and glass cutting boards are twice as likely to harbor bacteria than wood cutting boards, according to Organic Authority. Check out some fun cutting boards.
Steamer
Want to cut down on unnecessary fats? What about preserving nutrients in the foods you eat? A steamer lets you do that—steaming your food is a good way to retaining nutrients as boiling or prolonged cooking can destroy nutrients. No oil is required if you so prefer. No fuss, just boil water and steam any type of food item on rack or container placed on steaming rack. Different types of steamer cater to the whim of the buyer—bamboo steamer, electric or just buy a steaming rack. There are even microwave steamers, which can certainly speed up the cooking process. Check out the 2-tier microwave steamer.
Blender or Food Processor
Thanks to modern technology, you don’t have to slave all day in the kitchen to juice, chop, grate or blend any number of ingredients. Want a smoothie? Utilize a blender? Need a delectable sauce to go with the entrée? Why, the blender is at your service. The recipe calls for a puree of herbs or spices? Yes, the blender can do that too. Not only does it help you cut down on preparation time, making your own smoothie or sauce is the way to maximize nutritional benefits because you get to control what goes in the blender. Smart, fresh and nutritional are the hallmarks of blender use.
Other Kitchen Aids to Consider:
Because my list is by no means exhaustive, I’ve include some other kitchen gadgets for the health conscious:
