Top 5 Healthiest Cooking Methods

1. Steaming is healthy because the medium used to heat the food is water vapor. Unlike frying, it adds no calories in the form of oil and is associated with low calorie foods such as vegetables and fish.

2. Like steaming, boiling doesn't require any oil and therefore adds no calories the food you're cooking.

3. If you're preparing chicken, consider sauteing instead of deep frying. This can still give you a crunchy feel but with a lot less fat than deep frying requires.

4. Baking also requires only small amounts of extra fat, if any. It doesn't provide the same taste as frying, but if you've never tried baked chicken, you're missing out. You can add you favorite seasonings (salt, onions, garlic, herbs) for flavor without the calories.

5. Grilling can be the healthiest and most flavorful way to cook food. Like the other healthy cooking methods, grilling requires small amounts of fat to be added and actually lets some of the fat drip away during the cooking process. If it's too cold to grill or you don't want to spend hundreds of dollars, indoor electric grills make the process easier and they're relatively cheap.

For more ideas on how to improve the health of your meals, visit the Guide to Cooking. You can also read how others make healthy foods and share your own tips at the diet forums.

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