According to recent studies, out-of-home ready-made food consumption is on the rise in Turkey, as in Europe and the USA. Nutrition and Diet Specialist Tuba Örnek stated that pot meals are a much healthier option than ready-made meals in many aspects, and said that consuming these meals also reduces the risk of obesity, according to many scientific studies.
Especially in recent years, the tradition of preparing casserole dishes has gradually decreased in our country due to reasons such as changes in lifestyles and easy and fast access to ready-to-eat foods through online orders.
Drawing attention to this issue, Nutrition and Diet Specialist Tuba Örnek stated that pot dishes are much healthier than ready-made meals and said, “Pot dishes; "It is much healthier to cook than ready-made and out-of-home meals for many reasons, such as being made mostly with vegetable oils, being able to contain many kinds of foods, diversifying vegetable and legume dishes, and not using flavor-enhancing preservative additives," he said.
Reminding that according to some studies, pot dishes enable children to eat less fat, which in turn reduces the risk of obesity, Örnek said, "Cook pot dishes not only bring together many ingredients for our health, but also create an effect that strengthens family ties by bringing the whole family together at the same table." The pot, which has existed in the culinary culture of Anatolia for centuries, is now an indispensable part of thousands of dishes from different regions of our country. The pot changed the way humanity ate thousands of years ago, enabling the transition from dishes cooked on fire to meals cooked in water; "With its varieties made with different ingredients, it plays the leading role in the taste feasts of today's cuisines," he said.
SHARED HIS TIPS
Pointing out that the most important basic ingredients of casserole dishes are olive oil, onion, tomato paste/tomato and carrots, Örnek said, "For autumn and winter, spinach, leek, celery, broccoli, chard, cabbage and cauliflower are rich in vitamins and minerals and fiber." It is necessary to consume vegetables frequently. It is also rich in fiber and protein, and contains calcium, zinc, magnesium and iron; "It is very important to consume dried legumes such as beans, chickpeas, lentils, kidney beans and peas on average twice a week, regardless of summer or winter," he said.
Pointing out that the material of the pot to be used while cooking is also important in order to benefit from all the benefits of pot dishes, Örnek said, “Stainless steel, cast iron, granite and ceramic are among the best alternatives for choosing healthy pots. “It is necessary to avoid using products made with materials such as Teflon or aluminum,” he warned.
