COOKING FOOD: WHY DO YOU?

Hello, I know that you are already familiarized with cooking as a means of food preparation,the word cooking is commonly used in the household and am quite sure that almost everybody had cooked one or two times before but not all foods are subjected to cooking especially most fruits and vegetables although majority of our food are cooked. It may then bring several question to the mind like why we do cook, how cooking affect the food ,does cooking has negative or positive effect on the food and the types of cooking method available. If you have ever pondered about cooking on itself, this is why this write up is written which is to educate potential readers about cooking generally..

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WHAT IS COOKING?

The process of subjecting foods to the action of heat is termed as cooking.Foods like fruits, vegetables and nuts are eaten raw but most of the foods are cooked to bring about desirable changes.Cooking is one of the most popular food preparation activity in the world.

WHY DO WE COOK OUR FOOD?

Cooking as food processing activity is done because of the following reasons:

Improves the taste and food quality

Destruction of microorganisms

Improves digestibility

Increases variety, we can cook the same food in to different dishes

Increases consumption of food

Increases availability of nutrients

Concentrates nutrients

DOES COOKING HAVE NEGATIVE EFFECT ON THE FOOD?

Cooking as a process involves the use of heat, a food is a chemical and biological material which tends to be affected by heat. Most of the time if the food is subjected to what is called overheating the following are bound to happen.

Thiamin, which is heat sensitive, may be lost during cooking. Water soluble nutrients are leached into the water during cooking. Vitamin A and C content may be reduced due to oxidation and heat.

Quality of protein may be reduced due to destruction of certain amino acids during cooking e.g.bread crust has less quality of protein compared to the inside portion.

The aesthetic qualities of the food can be destroyed such as colour, texture, flavour and taste.

ARE THERE ARE SEVERAL COOKING METHODS?

Yes of course, there are several cooking method. Cooking requires heat and Heat may be transferred to the food during cooking by conduction, convection, radiation or by the energy of microwaves—electronic heat transfer.The following are the types of cooking method.

Boiling

It is cooking foods by just immersing them in water at 100°C and maintaining the water at that temperature till the food is tender.It is the most simple method. It does not require special skill and equipment but if not done at the right temperature and time of cooking there may be loss of nutrient.

Simmering

When foods are cooked in a pan with a well-fitting lid at temperature just below the boiling point 82-99°C of the liquid in which they are immersed the process is known as simmering.

Poaching

This involves cooking in the minimum amount of liquid at a temperature of 80-85°C that is below the boiling point.

Stewing

This is a gentle method of cooking in a pan with a tight-fitting lid, using small quantities of liquid to cover only half the food.

Steaming

This method requires the food to be cooked in steam. This is generated from vigorously boiling water or liquid in a pan so that the food is completely surrounded by steam and not in contact with the water or liquid.

Pressure Cooking

A relatively small increase in temperature can drastically reduce cooking time and this fact is utilized in pressure cookers.

Grilling/broiling

It consists of placing the food below or above or in between a red hot surface. When under the heater, the food is heated by radiation only.

Pan broiling/roasting

When food is cooked uncovered on heated metal or a frying pan the method is known as pan broiling.

Baking

Here food gets cooked by hot air. Basically it is a dry heat method of cooking but the action of dry heat is combined with that of steam which is generated while the food is being cooked.

Solar Cooking

This is the cooking with the aid of solar energy. The source of heat is obtained from the sun.

Note:Some cooking are done with the aid of fat as a medium of cooking e.g. frying.

WHAT ARE THE FOODS SUITABLE FOR COOKING?

Food suitable for cooking are many but for examples they are rice, macaroni, potato,yam,meat,fish,egg e.t.c

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