Cooking for pleasure is a wonderful activity that stimulates you in so many ways. There is nothing quite like the comforting smell of cooking in the home!
Health benefits include:
- You get to learn about food When you cook, you naturally learn more about the food you eat - food types, flavours, health, ingredients and methods. You can get in touch more with where your food comes from and what you can choose and combine.
- You get to eat a wider variety Because you're selecting dishes and cuisines to cook, you usually end up eating a wider variety of food, and this is good for your health. "Eat a rainbow!"
- Enhances creativity Choosing what to cook, selecting ingredients, trying different combinations, plating differently - these are all stimulants to your creativity. Before long, recipes will just be a guide, and you can conjure up all sorts of creations.
- You get a result at the end Many activities are just about the process themselves but with cooking, you get to enjoy the end as well, by eating a lovely meal.
- Encourages you to grow things Most cooks can't help growing ingredients themselves to improve the flavour and make sure they are and plentiful. If you have access to a garden, you can grow fruit and vegetables, or if not, growing pots of herbs will give you a sense of satisfaction.
- Stimulates the brain and senses Cooking is one of the few activities that involves all your senses - seeing the colours, hearing the pound of the pestle, touching to test temperature and readiness, smelling the different stages of cooking, and of course, tasting the yummy result. All of this helps you focus on the present, brings you out of your head into your body, and releases endorphins.
- Teaches you about different cultures As we get more interested in food, we can start cooking cuisines from different cultures than our own. Sourcing the produce and recipes is fun and food is a great connection to the world. It's like travelling without leaving the house!
- You control the ingredients Not only do you know what you're putting in your stomach, you can choose what you want to eat or not. This is important if you have any food allergies or have dietary restrictions. You can decide how much salt, gluten, carbohydrate, protein or fat you want in a meal. This can be vital for improving your health and food lifestyle.
- Relaxes you You can totally lose a sense of time while you're cooking. It reduces stress and anxiety and lifts the mood. Even the rhythmic nature of chopping and and stirring can be therapeutic.
- Saves money When you cook, you cut out the middle man in the ingredient to table process. You get to choose what and how to cook and you can significantly reduce your costs in this way. Growing fruit, vegetables and herbs saves even more money, and you can swap your ingredients with friends and neighbours.
"O, blackberry tart, with berries as big as your thumb, purple and black, and thick with juice, and a crust to endear them that will go to cream in your mouth, and both passing down with such a taste that will make you close your eyes and wish you might live forever in the wideness of that rich moment."