Healthy home cooking
The economy may be having an unintended and positive effect on the way people eat, a trend that researchers say could lower cancer rates.
Forty percent of Americans say they are cooking at home more often as a result of the current economic situation, according to a new survey commissioned by the American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR). Experts say that trend could translate into Americans eating healthier foods in smaller portions.
“We don’t recommend an economic recession as a health-booster, but it appears Americans are looking for ways to take better care of themselves,” said AICR registered dietitian Alice Bender. “It wasn’t necessarily what we expected to see. It is good news some people are cooking at home more because usually that means more balanced healthful meals. I think people tend to serve themselves more appropriate portion sizes.”
The survey involved 1,024 American adults who were contacted by phone in February.
In the same survey, Americans reported making other changes linked to better health and a lower risk for cancer and other chronic diseases. Many of those surveyed said the current economic situation has motivated them to eat more vegetables and fruit, consume less red meat and exercise more than they did in the past.
According to the survey, 48 percent of people are eating less fast food.
“That makes sense,” Bender said, adding that people have a tendency to over eat when they dine outside of their homes. "When you eat out... you might feel like it is a special treat, so you don't pay as much attention to what you are ordering and what you are eating as you might at home.”
The survey shows people are taking control of their financial bottom line — and their health.
“People are looking for ways to save money and making your own meals is a great way to stretch a dollar,” Bender said. “It's also a way to take back control of what you and your family are eating, and make small, healthy changes that pay off big down the line."
According to the survey, 26 percent of people said they eat fruits and vegetables more often and another 29 percent eat less red meat.
Eating more vegetables and fruits and less red meat is right in line with AICR recommendations to lower the risk for cancer and other chronic diseases, Bender said.
“AICR’s 'New American Plate' approach to meal making, filling at least two thirds of your plate with vegetables, whole grains, beans and fruit and one third or less with fish, poultry or lean meat, is an easy way to think about a healthy balance.”
Eating healthy doesn't have to be costly, Bender said.
"A good option, which is sometimes a little less expensive, are the frozen vegetables and frozen fruits. You can often buy them with no added sugar or sauces and all the nutrients are pretty much still intact, so they are still very healthy. If you buy a bag of them and don't get around to eating them right away, they will still be good the next week."
Bender said beans are also cheap and nutritious.
"If you are thinking of putting together a balanced meal, we know things like black beans, pinto beans, split peas or kidney beans can be very economical. They are high in protein, high in fiber and low in calories, so that is really a great choice."
According to AICR, another way to stay healthy is to cut the salt. According to the group's Web site 75 percent of a person's salt intake comes from processed foods and preserved meats like hot dogs, pepperoni, sausage and bacon. A person should limit themselves to 2,400 milligrams of salt per day, which may prevent stomach cancer.
The AICR quick cooking guide "More Flavor Less Time" recommends that those cooking meals at home supplement salt with other savory seasonings and spices like oregano, basil, thyme, parsley, sage, rosemary, dill, bay leaves, turmeric, paprika and chili powder.
"You might put together a really nice chili with some different types of beans and tomatoes and spice it up a little bit and maybe serve it with some whole grain bread, and a nice light salad on the side. That is an inexpensive but very healthy meal," Bender said.
According to "More Flavor Less Time," people cooking at home can keep it healthy by steaming, poaching, stewing, stir frying or sauteing their food. The cooking guide said broiling, barbecuing, grilling and deep-fat frying should be done only in moderation.
"Deep frying certainly does add a lot of fat and calories to foods," Bender said. "The occasional stir frying where you can use a small amount of oil and quickly stir fry vegetables can actually be a fairly healthy method as well. I wouldn't say throw out all frying because it is a quick way to cook vegetables. You don’t lose as many nutrients that way and it's easy to do."
Sweets and desserts can also be enjoyed in moderation, Bender said, adding that chocolate can be used as a flavoring instead of serving the whole dish.
"Certainly in small amounts and occasionally, they can be part of a healthy diet. Also you can choose sweets that are a little bit healthier, such as fruit based desserts. Summer fruits are going to be easy to find, so you might have a bowl full of berries and put a small scoop of frozen yogurt on top of that and drizzle just a little bit of chocolate."
According to Bender, another way to save money is to avoid sodas or other sugary drinks and consume tap water or home-brewed ice tea instead.
Planning ahead and making a list when going to the grocery store can also save money and lead to healthier choices, Bender said. Also, going to a store that is well known to the consumer can prevent impulse buys.
"Think about what you really want to eat that week, and select the fresh fruits and vegetables you are really going to use. Planning ahead can really be helpful. If you know pretty much what your are going to need and you go with a list, you will spend less than if you go and play it by ear."
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Chris McDaniel can be reached at cmcdaniel@yumasun.com or 539-6849.
