Beta-carotene, a type of fat-soluble carotenoid phytonutrient, is also known as "provitamin A" because the body converts it into vitamin A. Beta-carotene is the source of orange and yellow coloration in fruits and vegetables, and is also found in green and red fruits and vegetables and in some grains and oils.
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Proper nutrition is essential for wound healing. This means eating a well-balanced diet including fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, proteins, dairy and healthy fats like monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats and omega-3 fatty acids.
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Turmeric is a spice from the ginger family used often in Asian cooking and taken as a nutritional supplement. As with most supplements, evidence exists to support some uses, and there are numerous unsubstantiated traditional uses.
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Turmeric has long been used for its digestive, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant benefits. The primary compounds to which turmeric's benefits are attributed are curcuminoids and volatile oils, explains the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center.
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Citric acid occurs naturally in some foods, particularly fruit, and it is a common additive in certain foods and beverages. It serves various purposes as an additive, explains the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Citric acid functions as a preservative, combating food spoilage and degradation.
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Give your homemade orange juice a nutrition and flavor boost by juicing with the peel. Oranges are famous for their vitamin C content, but they're also a good source of vitamin A, B-complex vitamins, potassium and a variety of other essential minerals.
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There is nothing wrong with baking frozen hamburger patties in the oven. Although putting frozen hamburger meat in the oven increases the cooking time, it is still a quicker option than properly defrosting the patties first.
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A convection oven uses a top and a bottom heat source, as well as fans to circulate the heated air inside the cooking chamber. This prevents the "hot spots" found in regular ovens and provides more even cooking. Convection ovens cook most foods 10 to 30 percent faster, too.
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Filet mignon is the most tender cut of beef, and you pay for the privilege of it gracing your plate. It's not a particularly flavorful cut, though, due to its lack of fat marbling. Of course, that translates to less saturated fat, cholesterol and calories, which is a good thing.
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Sirloin tip steak -- more widely known as flap meat -- is surprisingly flavorful and tender given its relatively low cost. This cheap cut does well with fast cooking methods like pan searing and grilling, but with a little tenderizing marination, you can turn out a great baked sirloin tip steak, too.
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Garlic can enhance all sorts of dishes and has some health benefits. A garlic-rich diet helps boost your body's production of antioxidant compounds and may lower the risk of heart disease and certain cancers, notes "The New York Times." Roasting garlic tempers its intense taste and makes it readily spreadable.
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The broiler cooks fish as fast as a grill, and just as effectively develops a crisp exterior while maintaining succulent flesh underneath. Broiling is the indoor version of grilling, using the same method of indirect dry heat, only with the heat source located above the fish, rather than below.
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Peanut oil contains heart-healthy monounsaturated fats. It has no trans fat or cholesterol, and little saturated fat. Peanut oil is a favored fat for deep-frying, panfrying and searing because of its high smoke point and resistance to heat damage.
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Beans are packed with fiber, protein, vitamins and minerals with no saturated or trans fat. When dried, heart-healthy legumes are a convenience item for long-term storage in your pantry.
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Boneless chicken breast provides a cost-effective, lower calorie, lower saturated fat alternative to red meats. You can safely cook frozen chicken on the stove or in the oven, but the meat may cook unevenly, and it also takes longer.
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The giant, melt-in-your-mouth tender porterhouse steak is undoubtedly the king of steaks, containing both a New York strip and a filet mignon all in one. It's more common to pan-sear a porterhouse to develop its crust then finish cooking it in the oven, but you can also pan-fry the steak all the way.
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Cooking a beef roast well-done makes the meat less tender and juicy, and considerably more chewy, than beef cooked to a lower temperature. For this reason, it's important to pick the best beef cuts for roasting. Loin, chuck and rib meat are optimal, being the most tender and juicy cuts.
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Canned red kidney beans make a nutritious convenience item. They have a shelf life of at least two to three years, and they spare you the hassle of soaking dried beans to rehydrate them; they're also pre-cooked, so they only need to be warmed through. Such bean can be eaten cold dishes such as salads.
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Baking a ham roast is a fairly simple process. If your ham is frozen, you'll get the best results by defrosting it in the refrigerator before cooking. Give the ham at least seven hours per pound to thaw in the refrigerator. You can also bake a frozen ham, but it will take about 1.
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Broiling is a healthy cooking method, letting you prepare pork loin without added fat and calories from oil or butter. It's also quick and relatively hand-off, so even novice cooks can pull it off successfully with little opportunity for error.
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