Healthy Kitchen Part 1: The Essential Items
Health Tip of the Week / Month / Year: Cook More At Home.
Why? Because it allows you to take control of the ingredients you put into your body and REAL health comes from REAL food in its purest form. By upgrading the quality of your ingredients, you can so easily start making BIG changes in your health, without feeling the burden of taking on yet another “diet”.
Staples of a clean eating kitchen include:
Unrefined sea salt - toss that white table salt ASAP! It’s acidic, inflammatory, bleached and heavily processed to the point where only 2 minerals remain (sodium + chloride). By switching to Himalayan pink or Real Salt®, you’ll intake up to 84 different minerals that help fight cravings, increase energy, improve digestion, reduce fluid retention, lower inflammation and balance moods.
Extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO)- this Mediterranean staple is packed with heart-healthy fats that soothe the skin, lubricate the joints and promote bowel regularity. Given its modest smoke point of approximately 350° F, EVOO is best used for finishing touches, sauces and dressings.
Note: oils are best purchased in a dark glass bottle (to protect against oxidation) and kept tightly sealed (to preserve for longer.)
Avocado oil - with a high smoke point of 520° F, refined avocado oil is my go-to oil for cooking or marinades, especially when applying high heat, as seen in grilling and broiling. Rich in potassium, vitamin E and other antioxidants, avocado oil is anti-aging, immune boosting and heart protective.
Organic seasoning blends - herbs and spices are a great way to add flavor without heaps of sugar, salt or fat. They’re also packed with antioxidants and antibacterial, anti-fungal and antiviral properties that help boost the immune system and keep the gut flora in check.
Perhaps you start with a good ol’ Italian Seasoning and expand outward from there. Just be sure to buy organic - spices are heavily sprayed with pesticides.
Raw honey - commonly associated with tea, honey is one of the top three natural sweeteners that I recommend. Add it to sauces or dressings or drizzle atop sweet potatoes or nut-buttered toast for that extra “yum” factor.
High-powered blender - investing in a Vitamix® was, hands-down, my best purchase yet. This kitchen essential will keep you on your smoothie game and save you time when it comes to making sauces, dressings, marinades and soups. Love a chopped salad, but not all the work that goes into it? Use the pulse feature on your blender - genius!
Toxin-free cookware - skip the nonstick, Teflon-lined pans and opt for stainless steel, cast iron or ceramic cookware. I recommend Scanpan® for the ease of a nonstick surface, without the carcinogenic chemicals.
Chef’s knife - having a sharp, comfortable chef’s knife is incredibly important. It’ll save you time and possible a finger (this may seem counterintuitive, but a dull knife actually leaves you more prone to injury). Top brands include Wüsthof, Shun and Mercer, but I recommend you try them out before buying to find the perfect fit.
Bamboo cutting board - avoid hormone-disruptive plastic at all costs, especially with surfaces that you are frequently chopping into. Durable, easily-maintained and lightweight, bamboo cutting boards are also naturally resistant to bacteria.
Silicon utensils - incredibly flexible and non-toxic, silicon is a naturally soft material that won’t scratch your pots and pans. Plus, you won’t have to worry about melting plastic into your soup, pancakes, eggs or veggies - phew!
Health starts in the kitchen and these essential items are sure to get you started on the right foot.
Cooking may not be your favorite thing to do, and that’s ok! But it’s a non-negotiable if you want to feel, look and function your best. So what do you do? Simplify it. Nobody, not even Rachael Ray, eats fancy, gourmet food on the regular. Chefs, nutritionists and health-focused individuals meal prep for easy salads, bowls and smoothies on the fly. Stay tuned for next week’s blog to learn about the top 5 things I recommend meal prepping to set yourself up for success on even the busiest of weeks!
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