Common Cooking Myths -- Busted!
By Sara Butler
A lot of things can go wrong in the kitchen, as any home cook can attest. But it’s not just the newbies that are making mistakes behind the stove. Even the most experienced cook can fall for cooking myths that seem to persist. Don’t let these cooking myths keep you from reaching your full potential in the kitchen. Here are a few you should put in the busted category!
Microwave Cooking Makes Food Less Nutritious
Some people claim that cooking food in the microwave will zap it of its nutrients, but that’s simply not the case at all. The truth is that microwaving exposes your food to less heat over a shorter time than any other cooking method, limiting the number of lost nutrients.
So, don’t be afraid to use your microwave!
Chicken is Fully Cooked When No Longer Pink
Food safety is very serious, so you really need to know what you’re doing so you don’t make yourself (or your family) sick. Chicken that’s no longer pink isn’t necessarily fully cooked. You must check the meat with a thermometer to really know if you’ve cooked it long enough. Eyeballing the color is not going to tell you what you need to know!
Don’t Wash Cast Iron Pans
You may have heard somewhere not to wash a cast iron pan, but that’s not true. While some soap, such as lye, can damage your perfectly seasoned pan, if your pan is properly oiled, then it shouldn’t make a difference. You need to clean your pan with a sponge and water, drying it well to help prevent rust even if you’re not sure how well your pan is oiled.
Salt Helps Pasta Cook Faster
Do you add salt to your boiling water to help your pasta cook? Well, it turns out that all you’re accomplishing by doing this is adding extra salt to your meal. It is true that salt increases the water's boiling point, but it’s such a slight increase that it really makes no difference in cooking time. So, save the salt!
It’s Impossible to Properly Clean a Wooden Cutting Board
If you’ve been avoiding wooden cutting boards because you thought they were unhealthy, you can stop. Current research out of the University of California found that even if there are bacteria living in the crevices of a wooden board, it doesn’t live long enough to infect the surface. So, as long as you’re properly cleaning the surface, it should be just fine.
These myths deserve to be put up on the shelf. So bust out that wooden cooking board without fear, leave the salt out of your pasta water, and be free from the cooking myths that have been holding you back!
To learn more about your health, wellness, and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Roswell, Ga.