The kitchen for most people is considered a happy space. We wine and dine with friends and family, share the joys and sorrows of life and make a lifetime worth of memories in the kitchen.
Aside from the toilet, the kitchen has to be one of the most regularly cleaned spaces within a home (Well, this may not be true for everyone). When it comes to the kitchen, it is not only viewed as a happy space but as a healthy one as well.
Did you know, however, that your kitchen could slowly be harming your health wise? From the foods you store to the products you use to keep it spotless, your kitchen could be a health hazard waiting to happen.
However, this piece is not meant to be one of utter doom and gloom. There are a few ways in which one can ensure that their kitchen remains the happy, healthy space that it is meant to be. Let’s take a closer look at some of these health game changers, shall we?
What Are You Eating?
The level of toxicity of your kitchen with regards to your health is partially dependent on what is found within the kitchen space, to begin with. The saying ‘out of sight out of mind’ applies to foods as much as it applies to people and situations.
The habit of storing junk food to nibble on when you are hungry but not hungry enough is detrimental in the long run. Since we are trying to purge our kitchen of that which is unhealthy, your stash of junk food might have to go.
Consider switching out the junk with much healthier snacks. If completely ridding your kitchen of junk food is proving to a slightly uphill task, then at the very least, limit the portions and frequency with which you consume the available junk food.
What Are You Cooking With?
You are what you eat. In this regard, the ingredients that make up the meal consequently make up a person. The majority is making an effort to eat and live healthily. That means they are now paying attention to what they eat. Rather than eating out, more and more people are enjoying the process of cooking their foods among family and friends.
We always pay attention to all other ingredients but the oil. As long as you are cooking in vegetable oil, you are off the hook right? Well, wrong! While vegetable oils are indeed a better alternative to most cooking fats but it's not that healthy.
Consider switching out your current oil with a healthier version. Olive, flax oil, ghee, hemp oil, sesame oil, chia oil, coconut oil and avocado oil are amongst the healthier alternatives.
What Are You Cooking In?
Your preferred product of choice is all organic, and you cook with nothing but olive oil; you must be well on your way to that healthy life, right? Well, not exactly.
Your choice of cookware will affect the overall quality of your food. Aluminum cookware and its non-stick counterparts have so far been the poster children for unhealthy cookware. While not conclusive, some studies have linked aluminum cookware to disorders of the central nervous system and inadequate bone formation.
When grilling your favorite food item on a grill, consider to use less oil. There are some grilling equipment available in the market which cook food through radiation like- an infrared grill.
Non-stick pans, on the other hand, have been found to give off perfluorooctanoic acid and polytetrafluoroethylene when subjected to high temperature. These chemicals have been found to have the potential of inducing tumors and thus causing cancer.
There exist safer alternatives for your cooking needs. Cast iron, for example, provides the health benefits of having additional metal in the food while still allowing for easy cooking thanks to its non-stick and durable properties. To achieve the former, however, you need to season the pan properly. Other safe alternatives include glass and titanium cookware.
Re-use and Re-cycle:
Kitchens produce a lot of waste on a daily basis. Whether commercial or straightforward home kitchens, there is always something that needs to be discarded. It is, therefore, safe to say that kitchens, by their use, are considerable contributors to the global carbon footprint.
We can, however, reduce this footprint by opting for items that can be re-used and, or recycled. If you are feeling creative enough, some of the waste we throw away can be re purposed and up-cycled.
Opting for reusable towels as opposed to paper napkins and, or towels is one way to reduce the resource strain currently placed on Mother Nature. Saying no to plastics will also go a long way to making your kitchen a healthier place. Instead of storing your foods in plastics, consider using glass Tupperware instead.
What Are You Drinking?
Depending on where you are, the water you drink is heavy loaded with chlorine and, or fluoride. It's not to be surprised that, other heavy metals and chemicals may present into your drinking water.
Purchasing a bottle of water gives us the false sense of security that as long as it doesn’t come from the municipal, it is safe and healthy to drink. Again, this might not be true. A bit of research into the water situation in your area will give you a clear picture of the harm you may have been unwittingly causing to yourself.
That been said, it is essential that you invest in a best water purifier. There are also few water cooler dispenser available in the market that equipped with water filtration capability. By doing so you not only give yourself access to clean and fresh water ad libitum, but you also make it cheaper for yourself to access such high quality of water.
Final Verdict:
As humans, we are what we eat. The healthier you eat, the healthier you are. Now that we have pointed out some of those health traps we are all guilty of falling into, are you convinced it is time you changed a thing or two in your kitchen?
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