No time, no desire, no resources… Not everyone can cook for themselves at home. And yet the kitchen is full of benefits, both for the body and for the mind. A recent study by researchers from Edith Cowan University (ECU) and published in the journal Frontiers in Nutrition shows that this activity could improve the mental and physical health of those who participate in it. And this, even if you don’t eat your preparations… Explanation.
To conduct their research, the researchers counted on the collaboration between their university and a cooking learning program called The Good Foundation. Between 2016 and 2018, 657 participants took part in a seven-week healthy cooking program. Two-thirds were overweight. At the same time, specialists “measures the effect of the program on participants’ cooking confidence and perceived mental health, as well as overall satisfaction with cooking and food-related behavior”describes the research.
Results? Volunteers who have completed the program “saw significant improvements in their general health, mental health, and subjective vitality immediately after the program.” These benefits were maintained for six months after the program ended.
Cooking is good for morale
This improvement can be explained by a change in diet. According to a previous study, eating more fruits and vegetables could improve mental health in the longer term. However, “The mental health of the participants was improved despite the fact that their diet was not changed after completing the program”explains the research. “This suggests a link between cooking confidence and cooking satisfaction and mental health benefits”explains Dr. Rees, the study’s principal investigator, said in a press release.
(ETX Daily Up)