Zero Waste Enthusiastic
The Complete Summer Cookbook is one of the best investments you can get for your kitchen and your food experiences.
“Tell me what you eat, and I tell you who you are” so goes an old adage. Eating is one way to replenish your body with the necessary nutrients that your body needs to be able to carry on the tasks that you have to do everyday. For some, eating could be a way out to relieve from the stressful activities that they experience. However, whatever purpose that you are eating, one thing is for sure, you need to be mindful of what you eat. Because, what you eat is definitely getting inside your body.
Why is healthy eating important?
Let’s be more mindful of what we consume. You need to think first before you eat. There’s many things more than the taste of the food that you should consider. What you eat can affect your health, either positively or negatively. And of course, you have to choose the most beneficial for you.
When you talk about eating that is beneficial, automatically you can think about the importance of eating healthy. Eating healthy comes with reasons. These reasons become the motivation of pursuing that diet that focusing on healthy consumption. Perhaps, you may agree that choosing healthy foods is not that easy as sometimes the mind would really go after the taste, rather than the nutritional values. At least, this is quite true for the majority of people, the reason why it is important to highlight the reasons of healthy eating.
Dr. Jason West, in his YouTube vlog, emphasized the twenty (20) reasons of the importance of healthy eating as follows:
1. Eating healthy fattens your wallet
The amount of maintaining medication of having medication prescribed by doctors due to poor eating habit can be prevented. So, the amount of money that you are supposed to spend on medication will be kept as your savings since you are healthy will not be needing medication.
2. An apple a day keeps the doctor away
Sounds clichè, but yes, it is absolutely true. Because, healthy eating can promote wellness and healthy lifestyle. For instance, since you have a sound mind and health body, you can avoid being sick and do not have to go the hospital every now and then. Should you go, that’s only due to some check ups that you do once in three months or two.
3. It protects your bones
This is absolutely true. Eating healthy means eating the food that has the nutrients you need especially for your bones as nowadays most of the people tend to sit with the computer for longer hours that may cause osteoporosis in the long run. To avoid this, you have to eat food that are rich in calcium and vitamin D. You can start it by eating vegetables as vegetables contains minerals and vitamins such as calcium and vitamin D.
4. It can increase sex hormone precursors.
Dr. West said that it can help hormones precursors, the testes, ovaries, thyroid, adrenal and all of those hormones associated with health vitality and stamina work better. The medicinenet.com define precurson as a term applied to describe converting inactive substance to active one.
5. It can help manage the PMS in women.
Pre-menstrual syndrome (PMS) is common among women. Fatigue and mood swings are some of the symptoms that women can experience. Hormones are the main reason why such symptoms occur. Good nutrition obtained from the healthy eating can help reduce the symptoms. Food that are rich in calcium, vitamin D, magnesium and vitamin B6 are known to help manage symptoms of PMS.
6. You can have an ironclad immune system.
Strong immune system is necessary specially in the time of this pandemic. Having healthy habit can support you gain a strong immune system. For instance, having enough protien, anti-oxidant and micronutrients can improve your immune system’s responses against pathogens. According to the World Cancer Research Fund International, “Good nutrition supports the body throughout the life, from birth to old age. A balanced diet, including all food groups, supports an effective immune system and may provide protection, against infections, cancers and other diseases.”
7. It helps the DNA.
DNA carries hereditary traits. And this includes some diseases too such diabetes and cancers. And if you carry some of them, having the right food and proper nutrition can improve your genes and help manage the threats of developing them overnight.
8. It can avoid irritable bowel movement.
Irritable bowel movement is a condition that affects the large intestine. Having the right diet and healthy habit could help to avoid this condition.
9. It can make your future children healthy.
As it was aforementioned, eating healthy can improve your DNA. And your DNA can be passed on to your children. When you have healthy genes, your children can inherit healthy genes too. Thus, they could also develop healthy immune system.
10. It improves brain and boosts IQ.
Nutrients can affect the brain. It enhances cognitive activity as it goes through cellular processes such as developing healthy neurons to advance brain function. A study entitled Brain Foods: The Effects of Nutrients On Brain Function by Fernando Gómez-Pinilla shows that “brain networks that are associated with control of feeding are intimately associated with those that are involved in processing emotions, reward and cognition”. This clearly shows how food can develop brain functions.
11. It is the ultimate workout booster.
This means, eating healthy can enhance the results of your workout. According to Dr. West if you have fuel in the body, it amplifies the benefits of your exercise.
12. It chills you out and helps you to relax.
Eating healthy can maintain the temperature of your body to response to the environment. For instance, if it is too warm your body can make you cooler and calm compare to those who have poor nutrion.
13. It promotes healthy skins.
The nutrients that you can get from food can promote healthy and beautiful skin. One of these nutrients is vitamin E that can make your skin glow and healthy.
14. It helps your sex drive.
Healthy body has healthy hormones. These hormones can indicate the state or condition of your reproductive system.
15. It helps fight insomnia.
Dr. West noted that eating habits can be linked to restorative sleeping mode. Food such as banana and walnuts can help fight insomnia.
16. It soothes muscles.
Aside from the fact that food can help in muscle building, it can also soothes muscles that can avoid muscle sores.
17. It boosts energy.
The food you eat can provide the necessary energy you need. It fuels your body in accomplishing your task. This can make you avoid fatigue and sluggish feeling through out the day.
18. It reduces craving.
When you eat colorful food that are nutritious, the urge to crave for junk or fast foods can be taken away. This can positively impact your overall health.
19. It can make you run fast.
As eating healthy can build your muscles and bones, being fast is a common thing for you. Because, it improves your strength and stamina.
20. It helps you win in life.
Being healthy does not only means being healthy physically but also emotionally, socially, and mentally. With this, you can actually enjoy life to the fullest and have the confidence to conquer what you want to be.
These are just few reasons that you can actually think of to start eating healthy. But there are more reasons out there why you need to consider the importance of eating healthy, and perhaps you can start your own list.
The Complete Summer Cookbook summary
America’s Test Kitchen offers The Complete Summer Cookbook- Beat the Heat with 500 Recipes that Make the Most of Summer’s Bounty for cooks of all skill levels. The book consists of a collection of 500 inspired recipes that will help you settle into a more relaxed kind of cooking designed to keep you and your kitchen cool. You’ll find recipes ready in 30 minutes or less, dinner-size salads, make-ahead meals, dishes that can be served cold or at room temperature, and so much more. From backyard barbecues to beach picnics to patio parties, socializing outside on a beautiful summer day is best with food.
Brian Franklin of America’s Test Kitchen has sent me a review copy of this massive cookbook early April 2020. And once I have received it, I felt blessed at this gift. The Complete Summer Cookbook made a compelling and fine partner to stave off boredom and cabin fever in the midst of the lockdowns implemented due to the Coronavirus. Each page of this book contains nuggets of cooking wisdom and actionable steps to create the best food experiences for any household.
The Complete Summer Cookbook is written with unique focus on making cooking easy and cook. Each recipe utilize smart strategies to minimize both heat and effort. You also see many recipes using small cooking appliances and even outdoor equipment to make everything smooth and easy for every cook. Here you can also find guidance and foolproof recipes for grilling, smoking, preserving and other cooking techniques from grilling juicy burgers to simmering fresh tomato sauce.
So whether you need ideas for a quick dinner, buffet party, or picnic, the Complete Summer Cookbook will help you get ready and wow your companions with the simple but sumptuous dishes.
About America’s Test Kitchen
America’s Test Kitchen is a cooking show distributed to the public television networks in America. The show covers actual test cooks working in kitchen. On the show, the hosts discuss what is working, what is not and why emphasizing the testing of the recipes is the heart of the mission of the show. Take heart in their popular tagline, “We make the mistakes so you don’t have to.”
Aside from being a cooking show, the America’s Test Kitchen team also produces cooking resources such as cookbooks, podcast and websites associated to every episode and magazine offering equipment, recipes, ingredients, reviews, techniques and tips.
The theme of the show can be reflected in the recipes that it films. Each episode has more than one recipes to show. Each recipe in the show is being tested for about 40 to 60 times prior to its appearance on TV or publication in books. An assigned host will report his observation during the test to reveal what works and what not.
The America’s Test Kitchen is renowned worldwide for showcasing the beauty of the cooking process. It has received several awards such as the Daytime Emmy Award Nomination: Outstanding Culinary Program in 2016. And what makes America’s Test Kitchen unique is that it actually set out to create recipes that work.
Why should you buy The Complete Summer Cookbook?
The Complete Summer Cookbook has recipes that do not require much time and effort while keeping your kitchen cool even at the warmest days of summer. So, if you are thinking about where your money should go in learning new things about summer meals, then buying the Complete Summer Cookbook is the ideal thing of where you can put your money on. Here are the top five reasons why buying it is worth the dime.
1. It has 500 recipes that have been tested from the small bites to icebox frozens sweets. It also featured meals that contain summer seasonal produce and a summer menu that is applicable for the season.
2. It has ten test kitchen tips not just for summer cooking but also for eating which as follows:
a. Cook more vegetables and eat more fruits.
b. Lighten up
c. Step away from the stove
d. It’s okay to buy a cooked chicken
e. Make it ahead
f. Take it outside
g. Make mezze your meal
h. Try cold and frozen treats
I. Drink in summer flavors
3. It has tips on storing food as well as what summer equipment that you can use during the said season.
4. The recipes provided in the cookbook have nutrional values making it easier for those who wish to follow the recipes to point out recipe is applicable for one’s diet.
5. And lastly the cookbook was dubbed as “the highly reputable and recognizable brands of America’s Test Kitchen, Cook’s Illustrated, and Cook’s Country are the work of over 60 passionate chefs based in Boston, Massachusetts, who put ingredients, cookware, equipment, and recipes through objective, rigorous testing to identify the very best”.
And there you have it. Once you get The Complete Summer Cookbook, you won’t be disappointed as you will find it useful for more than just a single afternoon sitting. With this book, you can have more ideas in creating your healthy meals while enjoying your zero waste lifestyle.
