The world is a pretty stressful place right now, so taking special care of our mental and physical health is crucial. Whether it’s through exercise, sleep betteror forming a self care routineFinding a habit that makes you feel energetic and happy is important, and there are many healthy habits to choose from. A new study has found that getting into the habit of cooking at home will not only make you feel happier, it will also make you feel healthier.
A recent study of Edith Cowan University (ECU) suggests that Confidence in the kitchen is your symbol of good mental health, with the added bonus of cooking delicious meals in your own kitchen.
For the study, ECU partnered with The Good Foundation and Jamie’s Food Ministry initiative, providing cooking classes to the community. A total of 657 participants committed to the seven-week healthy cooking course.
During the program, academics from the ECU Nutrition Research Institute measured the effect of the program on the participants’ confidence in the kitchen, as well as on their mental health. They also looked at their overall satisfaction with cooking and diet-related behaviors.
The researchers found that those who participated in the program saw great improvements in general health, mental health, and subjective vitality (the state of feeling alive and alert) immediately after the program.
Not only were there improvements in participants’ overall mood, but there was also an increase in cooking confidence, as well as the ability to easily change eating habits and overcome lifestyle barriers to healthy eating.
“Improving the quality of people’s diets may be a preventative strategy to halt or slow the rise in poor mental health, obesity, and other metabolic health disorders,” lead researcher Dr. Joanna Rees said in the overview of the study.
However, the quality of the food doesn’t actually have that big of an impact on your mental health. The study also showed that participants’ mental health improved even if the quality of their food was not sustainable. The mental health benefits were the same among participants who were overweight or obese as those with a healthy weight.
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While the study showed an overall positivity rate, 77% of participants who identified as female said they were confident in cooking, while 23% identified as male.
“This change in trust could lead to a change in the household food environment by reducing gender bias and leading to a gender balance in the home kitchen,” said Dr Rees. “This, in turn, may help overcome some of the barriers presented by not knowing how to cook, such as alleviating time constraints that can lead to ready meals that are high in energy but low in nutritional value.”
If you’re looking to become a culinary wizard in your kitchen and don’t know where to start, try starting with these 50 healthy recipes to make in 10 minutes (or less).
