The healthiest medium of cooking is olive oil. Next are the low saturated fat oils like sunflower seed oil, corn oil, etc. Butter ghee and saturated fats should be avoided. Transfats found in baked products like cakes and biscuits must be guarded against as they are high in HDL cholesterol which is bad for the heart.


Food should be steamed or cooked in minimum oil, and should not be overcooked or burnt. As overcooking causes a loss of nutrients and burnt food is found to be carcinogenic and hence cancerous. Steam cooking preserves nutrients.


While baking white meat or vegetables, cut them into chunks so that moisture is not lost. If the recipe requires them to be cut thin, cover and bake.

While raw foods are good to eat, the best form for maximum nutritional benefit is light cooking, that is, not over cooking. The notion that food needs plenty of oil to make it tasty is incorrect. In fact, to avoid excess oil while frying, stir-fry in a non-stick pan with just a sprinkle of oil.



Cooking is an art and one should learn to cook tasty food using the right spices and learn to change one’s taste and habits, which is not so difficult with persistence.