Nutrition Assignment Essay

Cooking is the application of one of two types of heat. Name them and then classify all the methods of cooking (baking, blanching etc) listed in your course according to which type of heat they use. Cooking is the application of one of two types of heats which are using moist or dry methods of cooking. Baking: Baking is a commonly used cooking technique that applies dry heat to a food, along with an air flow. It avoids the problems of nutrient loss due to leeching, and is effective at breaking down starches. However, heat labile nutrients will be destroyed and the long cooking time will negatively affect nutrient value. Baked goods loose moisture and tend to be dry; fats will leech out as well. Blanching: Blanching is the plunging of a food item into boiling water for a very short time period, before removing it and transferring it to cold or icy water. The cold water stops the cooking process. Blanching can remove the bitter taste from some vegetables and can also enhance their colour, making them more appealing. The application of very high heat will kill many micro-organisms and will also soften the tough fibres in vegetables. Braising: A method of cooking that is similar to baking, however, a liquid is placed beneath the food, or the food placed in a liquid. The liquid, at high temperatures, will convert to steam and so the food will be partially baked and partially steamed. It is used primarily in the preparation of meat dishes, where the tough collagen fibres require high heat and time to become softened and palatable. This of course impacts on the level of heat labile nutrients in the food, and leeching may also be a problem in the early stages of cooking. High temperatures will seal foods quickly, helping to trap juices and the nutrients within them to some extent. Other terms for braising include stewing or pot-roasting. Casserole and stews are braised dishes. When the meat is kept in the fluid, or the fluid returned to the meat nutrient losses will be lessened. Grilling: Grilling, like baking, is a dry cooking method, the difference being that grilling is the direct application of heat to the food as opposed to hot air. Food is generally cooked very quickly, which is good for limiting nutrient degradation, but at very high heat, which causes loss of the heat labile nutrients. Barbecuing, cooking over hot coals or charcoals are all consider variations of grilling. With larger cuts of meat, cooking time is lengthened, resulting in additional nutrient loss. Poaching or Boiling: Poaching, as opposed to boiling, is the gentle heating of a food in water. Typically, an acid is also added to the water (wine, vinegar, citrus juice) and this can impact on acid/pH sensitive vitamins such as vitamin K. Leaching is of course a major source of nutrient loss, but as the heat is lower; B group vitamins should remain intact as the temperature is below 100C. Mineral content is not dramatically altered with poaching or boiling but is more apparent than other cooking methods. Comment on the ease/difficulty for a person, suffering the medical condition you investigated, who has to stick to the dietary guidelines you created in question 7. Write a paragraph. If a person is naturally used to eating healthy following the crohn’s diet might be easy to follow for a person. Fatty and oily foods must be avoided all together as they are difficult to digest when a person has this medical condition. Eating a softer and blander diet is also essential to avoid discomfort. Sometimes bland foods are hard to follow as they are boring to an individual this can be hard to follow. Coffee lovers might also find it hard as caffeine can irritate the stomach as well. References http://www.heartfoundation.org.au/healthy-eating/mums-united/healthy-eating/Pages/default.aspx?gclid=CPKCw6rk5rMCFUhZpQodSn0AXg http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/public/heart/obesity/lose_wt/behavior.htm http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/bhcv2/bhcarticles.nsf/pages/Weight_loss_a_healthy_approach http://www.aafp.org/afp/2003/0415/p1769.html http://www.diabetes.co.uk/diet-basics.html http://www.livestrong.com/article/426491-nutritional-requirements-for-diabetics/#ixzz2D7F4J47I http://www.livestrong.com/article/286671-diet-for-gastric-problems/ http://www.livestrong.com/exercises-for-obese-people/ http://www.kitchensavvy.com/journal/2006/03/blanching_food.html http://www.bbc.co.uk/health/treatments/healthy_living/your_weight/whatis_bmi.shtml http://www.arhp.org/publications-and-resources/quick-reference-guide-for-clinicians/postpartum-counseling/diet Course Notes http://www.trimdownclub.com/introduction/index.html?ad=311 Health Magazines have also been investigated.