Canning
Canned foods, either commercially canned or home canned, lose vitamins and minerals with time. This loss, however, is reduced when the cans are kept slightly cooler than room temperature. Most canned foods can be stored for a year if they are kept in a temperature between 50 and 70 degrees F. After opening a can, the unused portion should be refrigerated. Canned meats, fish, and poultry should be used within 2 days of opening; fruits within 1 week; and vegetables within 3 days.
Fruits and vegetables are the most commonly canned foods. Pickles, olives, jellies, jams, and preserves remain fresh and appetizing for long periods of time when properly canned. Canned meats, poultry and fish are available commercially, but these foods rarely are home canned today. Freezing is a better method for retaining vitamins, minerals, texture, and flavor.
Tags: canning, food storage
Freezing
When food is to be stored for extended periods of time, extra care must be taken to prevent spoilage and retain as many nutrients as possible. In most cases, freezing is the best way to accomplish this. Freezing usually helps maintain good food color, texture, and flavor. Uncooked meats, fish, poultry, hard cheeses, milk, and bread, keep well in the freezer. Most fruit and vegetables – either cooked, blanched (plunged into boiling water for several minutes), or uncooked – freeze well.
Fresh lettuce, cabbage, carrots, cucumbers, radishes, celery, tomatoes, onions, potatoes, and bananas will not freeze well. Breads, cakes, and pastries made with egg whites may not hold up in the freezer. Other foods that should not be frozen include cream sauces, soft cheeses, meringue, and gelatin.
Tags: food storage, freezing
Air, light, moisture, and heat can make food spoil and break down nutrients. Knowing the best way to store foods can preserve food value, reduce spoilage, and prevent formation of harmful bacteria that can make foods toxic – and, sometimes, fatal.
Refrigeration
In general, the shorter the storage time and the cooler the temperature, the less vitamin and mineral loss. When fresh foods are to be used within a few days, the best place to store them is in the refrigerator. Refrigerators should be kept between 32 and 40 degrees F to prevent the rapid growth of bacteria, molds and yeasts. The meat and dairy keepers are the coldest areas and should be kept between 32 and 35 degrees F. In most refrigerators, the areas at the bottom and on the door are the warmest.
Tags: food storage, refrigeration
Meats, Poultry, and Seafood
Cooking meats gently enough to retain vitamins and minerals while reducing the saturated fat content is tricky business. The leanest cuts of red meats, which are the most healthful, usually are prepared using long cooking times and moist heat, such as pot roasting, stewing, and braising. These methods result in greater loss of thiamin, niacin, and riboflavin into the cooking liquid. (Many of these water-soluble vitamins, however, can be obtained from other sources, such as whole-grain breads.) If the cooking liquid is used as a gravy or sauce, some of the vitamins are saved. If time permits, the liquid should be cooled so the fat can be skimmed off. Faster cooking methods, such as broiling, frying, and roasting allow the meat to retain more of its vitamins.
Thiamin and several other minerals are sensitive to high heat, so meats that are rare may be richer sources than well-done meats. Pork, however, should never be served rare because it must be cooked long enough to kill harmful organisms. (Pork must reach a core temperature of 150 to 160 degrees F.)
Excess fat should be trimmed off of red meat before and after cooking. With poultry, the skin, which is primarily fat, and the fatty deposits under the skin and around the tail can be removed before cooking if a moist, slow method is used. Skin can also be removed before serving. Skin, however, is often considered a tasty part of a chicken. The choice of whether to eat it could depend on the amount of fat in the rest of the meal or the family’s diet in general. Serving chicken dishes that use cheese, tomato sauce, herbs and spices, sauces, vegetables, and pasta can be a good way to get rid of the skin and fat and still serve a nourishing chicken dish the family will enjoy.
Charcoal broiling is another way to reduce the fat content of meats. Research shows, however, that charcoal smoking (as opposed to broiling) for a long time may lead to the formation of carcinogens in red meat, chicken, and fish. Meats can be partially baked or parboiled before they are placed on the grill to reduce the amount of smoking. This is especially effective for chicken, which takes a long time to cook on the grill. Keeping the lid of the grill open while charcoal broiling meats decreases
the amount of smoke.
Foods must be prepared sensibly to keep their flavor and food value. Unwise preparation and cooking methods can destroy valuable vitamins, ruin food texture, or add too much unnecessary fat, sugar, or salt.
One of the most common, unnecessary cooking practices is adding salt or sugar to food. Many cooks automatically pour salt, or sometimes sugar, into boiling water before vegetables or pasta are added. Many people shake salt on or rub it into meat before it is broiled or roasted. Children will not miss these if they do not become accustomed to them early. A delicate hand with salt and sweeteners will make meals more healthful and flavors more subtle. Salt, for example, draws water out of foods, and valuable vitamins, minerals, protein, and carbohydrates dissolved in the water end up in the salted cooking water or in the pan. Too much also can disguise the natural flavors and sweetness of vegetables.
Fruits and Vegetables
Most fresh fruits and many vegetables are delicious when served raw, and they keep most of their nourishment this way. Raw fruit or vegetables can be mixed together in a salad, served in small pieces with a dip, or eaten whole as a snack.
Even washing can destroy some valuable vitamins and minerals. Fresh fruit and vegetables, therefore, should be rinsed quickly under running water and not soaked. If fruit or vegetables, however, are caked with dirt, have pesticide or fertilizer residues on the surface, or have been coated with wax they should be scrubbed well under running water. It may be necessary to remove the peel before using them. In addition, breaking apart fresh fruit and vegetables initiates an enzyme reaction that can destroy vitamin C; therefore, cutting, tearing, or chopping should be delayed until just before they are to be used.
Cooking fresh fruit and vegetables decreases their food value, but the loss can be kept to a minimum if wise cooking methods are practiced. For example, the less water used and the less time the produce is cooked, the more nutrients are retained. Many important vitamins and minerals dissolve in water, so when food is placed in water, some nutrients are drawn out of the food and go into the water.
Cooking vegetables and fruits in a microwave oven is a good way to save vitamins and minerals because little or no water is used. Pressure cooking and steaming produce also are good cooking methods because the food does not come into direct contact with water. Some vitamins and minerals, nevertheless, are lost in the steam. If the cooking water is used in that same meal – in soups, gravies or sauces, for example – then the nutrient loss is decreased. Stir frying (cooking food quickly in hot oil) is another cooking method that leads to minimum vitamin and mineral loss. The fat adds extra calories to the vegetables, so only small amounts of polyunsaturated fats should be used if this cooking method is chosen.
If fruits and vegetables must be boiled, they should be cooked for a short time in as little water as possible, and the cooking water used during the meal. Vegetables and fruit cooked in the skin keep more of their vitamins and minerals than if they are peeled first. Potatoes, beets, carrots, turnips, and other root vegetables, which may have some dirt on the surface, can be scrubbed well rather than peeled.
Fewer vitamins and minerals are lost if vegetables or fruit is cooked whole or cut in large pieces. They should be cooked just before they are to be served and should not remain in the cooking water for a long time because vitamins and minerals will leach out. Baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) added to cooking water may keep vegetables bright green, but it destroys much of the vitamin C and thiamin in the food.
Frozen fruits and vegetables are the next best thing to fresh. Defrosting them before cooking loses vitamins and minerals. As with fresh, frozen fruit and vegetables should be cooked in as little water as possible, for a short period of time, and the cooking water should be used in the same meal whenever possible.
Vitamin and mineral loss is greatest with canned fruit or vegetables because they usually are packed in water. If the liquid from the can is added to a gravy or boiled down into a sauce and poured over vegetables, some of the vitamins and minerals can be recaptured.
Almost any kind of processing, such as refrigerating, freezing, canning, or cooking, will lead to loss of some valuable vitamins and minerals in food. In addition, processing often adds undesirable ingredients, such as sodium, to food. For example, fresh, raw green beans are low in sodium, high in vitamin A, and contain some vitamin C. Canned green beans have considerable sodium and less vitamin C, which is water soluble. The vitamin A content changes little because this vitamin is fat soluble. Fresh cooked and frozen cooked green beans are comparable.
If fresh beans are to be used immediately, then they probably have higher food value than frozen. If they will sit in the refrigerator for several days before they are cooked, then the level of some vitamins and minerals may decrease; therefore, the frozen variety may be better. Vegetables for freezing are picked when they are ripe, which is when they are at the peak for vitamin and mineral content, and then quickly frozen to preserve nutrients.
For new ideas on cooking delicious and healthy food, visit lowsugar-recipes.com.
Tags: fruits, vegetables
Note: This is the last part of a multiple-posts about getting and preparing the best food. Please read the earlier posts to get more information.
Tips on Finding and Preparing the Best Food (part 1)
Tips on Finding and Preparing the Best Food – Vegetables (part 2)
Tips on Finding and Preparing the Best Food – Fruits (part 3)
Tips on Finding and Preparing the Best Food – Meat (part 4)
Tips on Finding and Preparing the Best Food – Poultry (part 5)
Tips on Finding and Preparing the Best Food – Seafood (part 6)
Tips on Finding and Preparing the Best Food – Eggs and Dairy Products (part 7)
The bakery section of the market offers a wide array of white, whole-wheat, rye, pumpernickel, sour-dough, raisin, pita, and assorted-grain breads from which to choose. For the past half century, white bread (made with wheat flour that was milled after the germ and bran were removed) has been the most popular. But whole-grain breads (made with all parts of the grain, including the germ and the bran) have surged in popularity as more emphasis is placed on fiber in the diet.
Whole-grain breads provide the best source of carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, and fiber. “Wheat,” however, does not always mean whole wheat. Appearance of the loaf alone will not tell the full story. For example, bread that is darker in color may appear to be whole-wheat bread, but it may be made with refined flour to which caramel coloring or molasses is added. Certain brands, advertised as high in fiber, contain wood pulp, sometimes identified on the label as alpha cellulose. The shopper, therefore, should be sure to read the labels on breads closely.
If a family prefers white bread, it should be enriched with some of the nutrients (B vitamins, in particular) that were removed during the refining process. Enriched white bread may contain most of the nutrients found in whole-grain breads, but it will lack the fiber.
Rice is available in many forms and varies greatly in nutritional value. Rice loses nutrients as it is polished from brown rice to white rice. While the protein in polished white rice may be more digestible, some of the protein and many of its B vitamins
and minerals are lost in the process. Parboiled or converted white rice contains less nutrients than ordinary rice but more than instant white rice, which contains less nutrients than all other categories.
For new ideas on cooking delicious and healthy food, visit lowsugar-recipes.com.
Note: This is the 7th part of a multiple-posts about getting and preparing the best food. Please read the earlier posts to get more information.
Tips on Finding and Preparing the Best Food (part 1)
Tips on Finding and Preparing the Best Food – Vegetables (part 2)
Tips on Finding and Preparing the Best Food – Fruits (part 3)
Tips on Finding and Preparing the Best Food – Meat (part 4)
Tips on Finding and Preparing the Best Food – Poultry (part 5)
Tips on Finding and Preparing the Best Food – Seafood (part 6)
Important vitamins and minerals abound in the dairy case at the grocery store. This is where milk, cheese, butter, yogurt, and eggs are stored in refrigerated units.
Milk and milk products are primary soures of calcium, riboflavin, high-quality protein, vitamin D, and phosphorus. Milk also supplies vitamin A, thiamin, and niacin. Eggs are good sources of high-quality protein, iron, copper, phosphorus, vitamin A, riboflavin, vitamin B12, vitamin D, and thiamin.
Eggs: At one time thought of as one of nature’s perfect foods, eggs recently have come under attack for their high cholesterol content. The yolk of one egg contains approximately 275 milligrams of cholesterol, a figure that approaches the 300-milligram-a-day maximum recommended by most registered dietitians for older children and adults. Egg WHITES are excellent sources of high-quality protein, and they are low in cholesterol and calories.
Eggs are graded by the United States Department of Agriculture depending on their cleanliness and soundness of shell, the amount of air in the shell, and the way the yolk and white hold together. The top-ranked eggs, Grade AA, are found mainly in
fancy restaurants and gourmet shops. Grade A eggs are the kind generally carried in supermarkets. Both grade AA and A are used for frying, poaching, and boiling because the white and yolk stay together well and produce attractive egg dishes. Grade B eggs have thinner yolks and more white, and they tend to spread out when cooked. These eggs are used for commercial baking and scrambling.
Egg size, which has nothing to do with grades, ranges from peewee to jumbo, with large and extra large being the most popular sizes. When looking for the best egg buy, compare prices with sizes. If the price difference between any two egg sizes is
more than 8 cents, then the smaller eggs usually are the better buy.
Although freshly laid-eggs have more flavor, supermarket eggs are sufficiently fresh. Freshness of egg can be judged by placing it in cold water. If the egg floats or tips upward, it is an old egg and should not be used.
The yolk and white of a fresh egg will hold together well when the egg is cracked open onto a flat surface. The yolk should form a high yellow dome, and the white should be thick and translucent. As the egg gets older, the yolk flattens and the
white becomes thin. A dark red speck in the yolk simply means the egg has been fertilized. Fertile eggs are not more nutritious than others. Unless the red speck is undesirable for the sake of appearance, there is no need for concern and no need to remove it.
The color of the shell – white, cream, or brown, depending on the breed of chicken – does not affect the taste, texture, or nutritional value of the egg. Also, yolk color, which can range from light yellow to vivid orange, will not affect flavor. Color of the yolk is influenced by the type of feed and heredity.
Milk: The variety of milks offered in supermarkets is wide. Milk sold in stores has been pasteurized to destroy microorganisms, and homogenized to keep the fat globules (cream) from separating from the milk. Most milk also has been fortified with vitamin D, and skim milk usually has been fortified with vitamin A, which is present naturally in the fat of whole milk.
Whole milk is at least 3.25 percent fat and 8.25 percent protein, lactose, and minerals. Low-fat milk and skim milk contain similar amounts of protein, lactose, and minerals but less fat. Non-fat dry milk solids have been added to some brands of low-fat milk to increase the protein content. This might be listed on the label as “high protein”, or “protein fortified”. Low-fat milk contains 1 or 2 percent fat, and skim (or nonfat) milk contains less than 0.5 percent fat.
When shopping for milk for children older than 2 years of age and adults, the less fat the better. Very young children need the fat that whole milk supplies; however, after the age of 2 years, fat in milk does little but add extra calories and cholesterol. Low fat and skim milk supply the same nutrients as whole milk but with less fat and cholesterol and fewer calories.
Cream: The percentage of fat in commercial cream varies greatly. Half and half, a mixture of milk and cream, contains anywhere from 10.5 to 18 percent fat. Fat content of light cream ranges from 18 to 30 percent. Light whipping cream contains from 30 to 36 percent fat, and heavy cream contains from 36 to 40 percent fat.
Cultured Milk Products: Buttermilk usually is made from pasteurized skim or low-fat milk that has been treated with bacteria cultures to produce a heavy consistency. Yogurt, made with whole, low-lat, or skim milk, also is treated with bacteria cultures to produce a thick texture. Sour cream or sour half and half are made by adding cultures to homogenized cream or half and half.
Butter: Butter is made from fresh cream and is available in two varieties: sweet (unsalted) butter and lightly salted butter. Butter, by law, must have a fat content of at least 80 percent. The majority of this is saturated fat and, as a result, butter is high in cholesterol.
Margarine: Recently, many people in developed countries have begun eating less butter, relying more on margarine, which has no cholesterol, less saturated fat, and more polyunsaturated fat. Margarine has the same caloric value as butter – and it usually costs less. Diet margarines, which generally have a higher water content and lower calorie content than regular margarines, also are available. Margarines also may contain salt, dyes, preservatives, and other additives.
Those who think the taste of margarine cannot compare with the taste of butter but are concerned about cholesterol, may combine butter and margarine. Some companies package such combinations, but it is easy and more economical to soften a stick of each and blend them together at home.
Cheese: Supermarkets usually carry a variety of bulk cheeses in their deli sections as well as prepackaged cheese in the dairy section. The large assortment of cheeses can be placed into three general categories: unripened cheese and ripened cheese (both of which are called natural cheese), and processed cheese.
Unripened cheese is produced when heat or lactic acid is added to milk to separate it into chunks of curd and liquid whey. The whey is drained off, and varying amounts of cream or milk are added to the curd to make cottage cheese, farmer’s cheese, pot cheese, and ricotta cheese. This process also is used to make mozzarella, and cream cheese.
Ripened cheese, such as cheddar, Swiss, Muenster, and Parmesan, is made by adding bacteria culture to the curd and allowing the cheese to ferment. The consistency of the cheese depends on the amount of whey left in it (less whey leads to a firmer cheese), and the flavor depends on the type of milk used, the length of aging, and the humidity and temperature of the cheese as it ages.
Processed cheese begins as natural cheese but it is chopped, blended, and pasteurized. Various additives often are introduced to provide the desired consistency. American cheese is the most commonly used processed cheese.
Other processed cheeses, such as “cheese food,” contain a variety of natural cheeses, thickeners, stabilizers, flavors, and colors. “Cheese spreads” are processed cheeses to which gums, fats, and liquids have been added.
Most cheeses are high in fat and cholesterol. Hard cheeses and processed cheeses usually contain more saturated fats than most soft and natural cheeses.
Unripened cheeses, such as cottage cheese, are the most nutritious varieties for everyday use. The most healthful cottage cheese is the low-fat or uncreamed variety. Most farmer’s, mozzarella, and ricotta cheeses are made with skim milk. Some are made with whole milk. Other kinds of cheese with the word “imitation” on the label have vegetable fats added.
For new ideas on cooking delicious and healthy food, visit lowsugar-recipes.com.
Tags: dairy products, eggs
Note: This is the sixth part of a multiple-posts about getting and preparing the best food. Please read the earlier posts to get more information.
Tips on Finding and Preparing the Best Food (part 1)
Tips on Finding and Preparing the Best Food – Vegetables (part 2)
Tips on Finding and Preparing the Best Food – Fruits (part 3)
Tips on Finding and Preparing the Best Food – Meat (part 4)
Tips on Finding and Preparing the Best Food – Poultry (part 5)
Seafood, like chicken, has increased in popularity in recent years because , in general, it is a good source of protein and supplies less fat and fewer calories than red meat. Many types of fresh, frozen, and canned fish and shellfish are available in supermarkets.
Some kinds of seafood are higher in fat content. Examples are albacore, bloaters, butterfish, bluefish, chub, eel, herring, pompano, salmon, sardine, shad, smelt, sprat, canned tuna in oil, trout, and whitefish. Sardines, anchovies, and canned tuna in oil are high in cholesterol as well as fat. Leaner varieties of fish include sole, flounder, red snapper, turbot, grouper, halibut, and canned tuna in water.
Mollusks (clams, oysters, mussels, scallops) and crustaceans (crabs, lobsters, shrimp, crawfish) are higher in cholesterol than most types of fish, but shellfish generally are low in fat.
Below are hints for buying fish and shellfish.
Fish: The key to good fish is freshness – the fresher the better. Fresh fish do not have an offensive fishy odor. Saltwater fish tend to have a slightly stronger smell than freshwater fish.
The best, freshest fish will have glossy, bright skin with good color. The scales should be shiny and stick tightly to the body of the fish. The flesh should be firm, yielding slightly when pressed gently, but the meat should spring back into place when pressure is released. The eyes of fresh fish should bulge from the head, and the gills should be clear red. Freshness can be tested by placing the fish in cold water. Fresh fish will float.
Fish with sunken eyes, an unpleasant smell, or soft flesh should be avoided. Loose scales, a dull color, or a whitish film covering the skin may mean that the fish has been allowed to dry out. Fish with any of these characteristics should be rejected.
Mollusks: Most of the common mollusks are bought while still alive. Bivalves (mollusks with two shell halves that are hinged together), such as clams, oysters, and mussels, should be bought only if the shell is tightly closed. Bivalves with open, broken, or cracked shells should be avoided.
Live, fresh clams should not float when they are placed in cold water. Mussels can be tested for freshness by trying to slide the two halves of the shell against each other. If they move, the mussel usually is filled with mud.
Tiny bay scallops or larger sea scallops (both members of the bivalve family) usually are sold out of the shell. The part that is eaten is the muscle that controls the hinge of the shell. Fresh scallops should have a sweet smell, and little liquid should be in the container. Fresh bay scallops should be shiny, moist, soft, and light pink in color. Sea scallops should be firmer in texture and filmy white in color.
Abalone is the foot of a large single-shell mollusk. It is popular in California and available fresh primarily on the West Coast. Light-colored abalone steaks that are flexible, shiny, and moist usually are the most flavorful.
Crustaceans: Fresh crabs, lobsters, crawfish, and shrimp often are available in supermarkets depending on the region and the season. Live crabs, lobsters, and crawfish sometimes are displayed in large tanks in supermarkets. Live shrimp rarely are available in grocery stores, but in saltwater areas they often can be found in bait shops or at roadside stands.
When buying crabs, lively ones that have all their claws and legs intact are the best. Crabs that are heavy for their size usually have more white meat inside, and the larger the claw, the more meat it will contain. Crabs that have an ammonia-like odor or a lot of mud on their shells should be avoided.
Live lobsters and crawfish also should be active and heavy for their size. They should be dark blue-green in color. The females usually have sweeter, more tender, more flavorful meat than males. Lobsters and crawfish should have large tails, and the best lobsters have large claws.
Shrimp should also be bought when it is as fresh as possible. Fresh shrimp should be dry, firm, and olive green in color. Shrimp tends to go bad quickly, so smell and texture usually are good indications of freshness. There is little difference in taste
between large shrimp (sometimes called prawns) and small shrimp.
For new ideas on cooking delicious and healthy food, visit lowsugar-recipes.com.
Tags: seafood
Note: This is the fifth part of a multiple-posts about getting and preparing the best food. Please read the earlier posts to get more information.
Tips on Finding and Preparing the Best Food (part 1)
Tips on Finding and Preparing the Best Food – Vegetables (part 2)
Tips on Finding and Preparing the Best Food – Fruits (part 3)
Tips on Finding and Preparing the Best Food – Meat (part 4)
The most common types of poultry are chicken, turkey, and Rock Cornish game hens. These birds provide more protein and less fat than identical amounts of red meat. The dark meat in poultry is higher in fat and cholesterol than white meat. On rare occasions, duck and goose also may be available in supermarkets. These birds, however, have higher levels of fat and cholesterol.
The USDA inspects poultry that is sold in interstate commerce. Most of the poultry in supermarkets is top grade or Grade A poultry. This means that the poultry should be tender, meaty, and should have a good appearance. Poultry that receives grades B or C generally is tough and is reserved for soup, stews, or commercial use.
Listed below are tips on selecting chicken, turkey, and Rock Cornish game hens.
Chicken: Smaller chickens tend to be leaner than large Capons (castrated males) and stewing chickens have higher fat contents than broilers and fryers. Roasting chickens also are slightly higher in fat than broilers and fryers.
The legs and wings on chickens should spring back quickly when gently pulled away from the bird. A flexible breastbone is a sign of a young, tender chicken. The tip of the breastbone should bend readily. If it is stiff and fails to yield easily to pressure, the bird may be old and tough.
The color of the skin makes little difference in the taste or texture of the chicken. Yellow skin simply means that the chicken was fed primarily corn, while white-skinned chicken has been fed other types of grain. Chicken with skin that is rough, overly dry, broken, bruised, or tinged with purple should be avoided.
It generally is more economical to buy a whole chicken and cut it into parts at home than to buy prepackaged parts. But if everyone in the family prefers drumsticks, for instance, these can be bought packaged separately.
Turkey: Fresh turkeys, when available, usually have a better flavor and texture than frozen turkeys. Frozen birds often are self-basting, which means they have been injected with butter and other fats. This, of course, adds calories. Male and female birds (toms and hens) usually are identical in flavor, juiciness, and tenderness, but hens tend to cost slightly more per pound. The size of the turkey makes little difference in taste, texture, or tenderness.
Plump, large-breasted birds with meat extending well over the breastbone usually have the best flavor. The skin should be creamy white to pale yellow, smooth, and damp. Turkeys with skin that is purplish, dry, or broken should be rejected.
Rock Cornish Game Hens: Breeding Cornish gamecocks with Plymouth Rock chickens has produced small birds called Rock Cornish game hens. They contain all white meat, and when the skin and visible fat are removed, they are quite low in fat and cholesterol.
The best game hens are plump with yellowish, smooth skin. The most tender hens are young, from 5 to 7 weeks old. Hens that are more than two pounds tend to be tougher and dryer than smaller birds.
For new ideas on cooking delicious and healthy food, visit lowsugar-recipes.com.
Tags: poultry
Note: This is the fourth part of a multiple-posts about getting and preparing the best food. Please read the earlier posts to get more information.
Tips on Finding and Preparing the Best Food (part 1)
Tips on Finding and Preparing the Best Food – Vegetables (part 2)
Tips on Finding and Preparing the Best Food – Fruits (part 3)
Meat, one of the more expensive items routinely purchased in supermarkets, consumes the greatest percentage of the average person’s food dollar. Although consumption of beef, lamb, pork, and veal has declined recently, meat remains the featured attraction on the dinner plate in most American households.
The United States Department of Agriculture inspects and grades meat sold in interstate commerce. The most expensive grade is PRIME, found mainly in gourmet butcher shops, restaurants, hotels, and clubs. Prime meat is marbled (flecks of fat throughout the meat), extremely tender, and juicy with a fine texture.
The highest quality meat carried in supermarkets usually is CHOlCE. Choice grade means that the meat is tender and juicy with a good texture, but it is not as well marbled as prime meat. Meat that receives a GOOD grade from USDA inspectors is less fatty and juicy than prime and choice meats. It can be a good buy, and it usually is tender if cooked slowly in moist heat. STANDARD and COMMERCIAL grades of meat, which are from low quality or older animals, generally are not available in supermarkets. These grades are given to meats that have little marbling and thin layers of exterior fat. The flavor may be bland, and the meat tends to be coarse, tough, and dry.
Listed below are tips for buying beef, lamb, pork, and veal.
Beef: Expensive cuts of beef are not necessarily better than less expensive cuts – at least nutritionally speaking. Highly marbled cuts such as Porterhouse steaks and standing rib roasts usually cost more per pound than leaner cuts, such as chuck or rump. (The exception is hamburger. Lean ground beef – 10 to 15 percent fat – is more expensive than regular ground beef – 20 to 30 percent fat.) But more than three-fourths of the calories in expensive cuts come from fat, and most of this is saturated fat and cholesterol, which has been linked to heart disease.
The best buys from the point of view of food value are the lean, inexpensive cuts that may need to be tenderized or cooked slowly in moist heat. Lean, bright pink to red meat with light-colored bones usually has the best flavor. Fat casing around the exterior of the beef should be creamy, white, and crumbly.
Veal: Veal is meat from calves slaughtered before they are 8 months old. The most expensive veal, milk-fed veal, comes from calves that are slaughtered at 3 to 5 months, before they have been weaned.
With the exception of the breast, cuts of veal are quite lean, with a thin layer of exterior fat and little visible marbling.
The most expensive veal is white or very pale pink. This meat usually comes from calves that have been confined in narrow stalls so that their flesh remains undeveloped and tender. Veal that is dark pink or red usually comes from older calves that have been allowed to roam and graze in the field.
Pork: Most cuts of pork contain a high percentage of fat. The least fatty parts are the tenderloin strip, center-cut leg ham, and loin chops. The fattiest cuts are the rib roast, bacon, feet, hocks, picnic shoulder, and shoulder butt.
The most flavorful pork usually will be light in color – light pink, approaching white – with pinkish bones and firm, white exterior fat. A grainy look in pork may affect the tenderness slightly, but generally not the flavor.
Lamb: Meat from sheep that are from 3 to 5 months old is called baby or spring lamb. Spring lamb is tender and has a mild flavor. Meat from animals 5 months to 1 year old is called winter lamb or simply lamb. Meat from older lamb usually is less tender and has a strong flavor.
The fattier cuts of lamb, such as the loin, shoulder, rack, and rib chops, are more expensive than leaner cuts, such as leg, shank, and breast. Like beef, the most expensive cuts offer the same nutrients as the least expensive cuts, but higher-priced lamb often means a higher saturated fat content.
Lamb should be lean and bright pink with creamy white exterior fat, and pinkish bones. If flesh and bones are approaching a red color, it may be a sign that the lamb was slaughtered at an older age, and it may be tough.
For new ideas on cooking delicious and healthy food, visit lowsugar-recipes.com.
