Healthy Cooking Tips

The way you cook food can help control your diabetes. Here are some cooking tips to help you make healthier foods at home:

• Skim fat off the top of soups and stews. It floats to the top when soup chills, so just take it off and reheat.
• Do not add salt to food or cook with it. If you need flavor, add herbs, spices, lemon juice, or vinegar.
• Eat or cook with fat-free or low-fat milk instead of whole milk.
• If you eat meat, choose low fat meats like chicken and turkey. Never fry it, instead grill, broil, stir-fry, or roast.
• Use lemon juice on fish and veggies instead of butter or other sauces.
• When you cook, use vegetable sprays instead of oil or butter. If you need oil, choose olive oil or canola oil.
• Take the skin off of chicken or turkey. Cut fat off of other types of meat.
• Use low-fat or fat-free milk, yogurt, cheeses, and meats in recipes.
• Steam veggies in water or low-salt broth.
• Cook with whole-grain foods like brown rice and oatmeal.
• Add vegetables to salads and other dishes.