Watch out for these in the kitchen: 12 bad habits to give up!

Mistakes made in the kitchen can cause the nutritional value of food to diminish or even disappear. Here are 12 bad habits we should give up while cooking and consuming.

There are some points to be considered to get the most benefit from food. Otherwise, mistakes can cause the nutritional value of foods to decrease, or even most of them to disappear.

Error: Cooking meat and fish at high temperatures Facts: Chemical compounds (AGEs) naturally found in meat increase when cooked at high temperatures, such as frying and roasting. High intakes of these chemicals cause chronic inflammation in the body, which accelerates aging and makes us vulnerable to disease.

Fast cooking of meat and fish at high temperatures also causes protein degradation. In addition to protein, cooking fish at high temperatures also causes the omega 3 fatty acids, which are critical for our health, to deteriorate. You can preserve the nutritional value of meats to a great extent when you cook them at medium-low heat, grilled, baked or boiled.

Error: Chopping vegetables too finely Correction: There are three factors that cause nutrient loss: oxygen, light and heat. The inner parts of fruits and vegetables are protected from oxygen and light, but when they are cut, their vitamin and mineral content begins to decrease with exposure to oxygen and light. You can also minimize the loss by consuming cut fruits and vegetables fresh or by storing them in a cool and closed container. Apart from this, it is useful to choose a sharp knife as cutting vegetables and fruits with a dull knife can cause calcium and potassium leakage.

Error: Boiling milk for too long Correction: If milk is boiled for a long time, protein and vitamin values are lost. However, you should also avoid consuming raw milk as it may contain pathogenic bacteria. Pasteurization is a method in which the nutritional value of milk is largely preserved and microbes are destroyed. Pasteurized milk is obtained by heat treatment of milk between 72-80 ° C for 12-16 seconds and sudden cooling. You can pasteurize milk at home with certain equipment and rules, or you can buy pasteurized daily milk from grocery stores.

Error: Exposing olive oil to high temperatures Facts: Olive oil contains healthy fatty acids such as omega 3 and omega 6, which promote cardiovascular and brain health. However, since olive oil has a low smoke point, it is not suitable for cooking at high temperatures. Remember, exposing healthy fat sources such as olive oil, walnuts and almonds to high temperatures causes the beneficial fatty acids to break down, so you should add olive oil after cooking or consume it cold. It is also important to protect oils from sunlight and heat, and not to keep them in front of windows and right next to the stove for their nutritional value.