For baking, dry heat is used to cook food slowly and evenly in the oven. Grilling uses very high heat for a short period of time to cook food quickly and evenly. You can do this in the oven by placing food on the top rack or using a toaster oven. Because high heat cooks food quickly, try cutting food into thinner slices so that it cooks evenly.
Remember to cut off any excess fat before grilling them. It's similar to baking, but it starts at a high temperature to create a crisp surface on food. The temperature is then lowered until the food is cooked. Blanching involves immersing food in boiling water for a short period of time.
It's often the first step in preserving food, as it helps vegetables keep their bright colors when frozen later. The loss of nutrients is minimal because the cooking time is quite short. Slow cooking is like boiling, but at a lower temperature (180 to 200 degrees Fahrenheit) and is milder. Usually, the liquid is brought to a boil, then the heat is lowered and allowed to simmer.
The loss of nutrients is similar to boiling. Poached cooking is similar to simmering, but water is not brought to a boil before adding food. The temperature of poaching water is also lower than boiling and simmering, but the loss of nutrients is usually about the same. Eggs, fish and some fruits are often poached.
While nutrient loss is high in most liquid cooking methods, they don't require the use of additional fats, so neither of these methods will increase the calorie content of foods. Steam cooking is usually the best of these methods because it also keeps most of the nutrients intact. Deep frying involves completely immersing food in oil heated to a temperature between 285 and 375 degrees Fahrenheit. You'll usually need a separate fryer or a large pot to fry.
Since it's a fairly quick way to cook food, it doesn't cause the same loss of nutrients as boiling it or other methods with water, but since food absorbs some of the oil, the calorie and fat content of the food can increase considerably. The cooking methods you choose are important for the texture and flavor of foods, but they also affect nutritional value. Choose methods that allow you to lose fewer nutrients, but that don't require the addition of large amounts of fat. No cooking method is perfect, so be sure to consume enough fresh fruits and vegetables every day as part of a healthy, balanced diet.