Healthy Cooking Tips for Optimal Nutrition

Organic produce is safer to eat and better for the earth (and everyone). Wash the vegetables thoroughly, and use them on the same day you prepare them.

Vegetables retain more of their nutrients with less exposure to air (due to oxidation), and they simply taste better when are fresh. Use little or no frozen vegetables. Learn about: Chinese herbal vegetables

Try eating lots of sea vegetables for the taste, nutrition, and wonderful healing benefits, such as the the radiance it gives to our hair and the way it helps our body cope with radiation from sitting in front of the computer for long periods of time. Studies in Japan have shown that civilians exposed to nuclear radiation during WWII were able to recover better when they regularly consume d high quantities of sea vegetables! You will find seaweed at most local health food stores. Often times Asian markets carry more varieties at fair prices (Asians tend to eat more seaweed).

Use reduced sodium soy sauce, tamari sauce, or Bragg's Amino sauce in place of processed soy sauce and sauces with monosodium glutamate (MSG). When traveling and eat out, ask restaurants to exclude MSG from your order. Read about: MSG

It is always good to avoid combining foods hapharzardly. Bad food combinations will make it difficult for the stomach to digest. Read about: Food combining

Vegans know to avoid using animal ingredients such as white sugar (bone char), gelatin, casein (milk protein), glycerin from soap and toothpaste, silk, whey, and vitamin D3 (lanolin). For a more complete lis, keep this book handy: Animal Ingredients A-Z

For more reasons to adopt a plant-based vegetarian diet, see: Why Vegetarian?

For common vegetarian cooking ingredients see: Vegetarian Ingredients and Vegan alternatives.