THIS IS YOUR WEIGHT LOSS JOURNEY – WHAT’S COOKING?

Healthy weight loss is the product of small, significant changes over an extended length of time – one of which is learning to cook! However, you can’t cut corners: if you’re going to cook, work from scratch and know the nutritional content of your meals. Here are some kitchen concepts that aren’t going to help you lose weight.

Tinned soup. That tin of wholesome-looking soup might appear to be as good as the homemade alternative, but its nutrition label probably tells a different story. Many brands are high in sodium, trans fats, and additives such as monosodium glutamate, which has been shown to have adverse health effects

Pre-made pasta sauces. Jars of pre-made pasta sauce are full of sodium, which can cause bloating and fluid retention and lead to high blood pressure. Pasta sauce is quick and cheap to make yourself, and it can contain up to one-fiftieth the amount of sodium than a jar of red gloop off the supermarket shelf does!

Filled pasta. Fillings that are heavy and dairy-based, such as three cheese, can have high levels of saturated fat—some brands contain up to 7 g of saturated fat in just one serve. Although pasta is a healthy choice, make sure you don’t cancel out its benefits by eating varieties that come laden with unhealthy ingredients.

Vegetables cooked in butter. Vegetables are best for you when you cook them as little as possible.

Although veggies cooked in butter might be tastier than steamed veggies, remember that butter is high in fat and cholesterol, and too much of it could affect your health.

Potatoes. Some may consider them a vegetable, but potatoes are best enjoyed in moderation—they actually have little nutritional value, and are absorbed into the bloodstream even faster than pure sugar due to their high starch levels . Add the large quantities of butter or oil that many use to fry or bake their potatoes, and you literally have a recipe for disaster.

Baked beans. They might be an good source of protein and a quick, easy topping for your morning toast, but tinned baked beans are actually very high in sugar , and a UK study has revealed that some varieties contain up to 45% of the recommended daily intake of salt .

White rice. It’s a staple food for people the world over, but white rice has little nutritional value; it’s a processed grain that’s full of starch, and starch can have the same adverse effects on your body as sugar. A Harvard study shows that eating too much white rice can increase your risk of diabetes.