Cooking is such a useful hobby to undertake for not only homeowners and heads of families, but also to everyone in general. Constantly, the act and hobby of cooking at home is viewed as a chore and bothersome activity. But there are mental and health benefits of taking up this endeavor which, in my opinions, is beneficial and therefore necessary to not only myself but to everyone.
I recently read an article on the mental and physical health benefits of cooking, made by Alice Gomstyn an article wrter on AETNA.com where she listed off four of the reasons why cooking is not only fun but beneficial to a persons health and mental state. And you will find below the same list and a summary of what she had to say for each of these points.
1.) You Eat Fewer Calories Without Realizing It
Having the ability to pick and choose your own ingredients for the food you prepare gives you a serious leg up in your ability to pick healthier options for food without having to compromise by not eating the foods you like. If you like pasta then get gluten free pasta or try spaghetti squash. With cooking your own food you have the great ability of knowing exactly what your eating and putting in your body. We have become complacent and dependent of the restaurant industries and they are constantly frying and using unhealthy methods of cooking to get good flavors. But there are healthy ways of cooking and still enjoying the food whilst being able to maintain calorie input.
2.) Your More Mindful Of What Your Putting In Your Body
This point is a tad derivative of the first point however it has its own merits. Having the ability to pick and choose your own ingredients to you specific palette and taste is a necessary step to regulating what food you put into your body and furthermore cuts off your dependence to the restaurant industry. Gomstyn talks about how when we are multitasking we tend to compromise about how we don’t regulate the foods we eat in order to save time.
3.) You can Socialize With Loved Ones
Cooking is not only beneficial to your own health and mental health but that of your family. It is not only considered beneficial to ones self helth but cooking is a strong social activity to further yourself and your family. Some of the funniest and lively conversations I’ve had with distant or near relatives has been around a dinner table or in the kitchen. Food is the great unifier in family stability. And some of the greatest moments of connections we can have with our family members can happen by cooking a great meal for our family to enjoy. Cooking food for your family shows commitment and love for the people closest for you.
4.) You Stimulate Your Mind
Having a creative activity like cooking helps to stimulate your mind and not only better your mental help but stimulate your mental stability. This is especially true in older men and women. Gomstyn talks about how once we get older not only do we get more fatigued but we also have an onset of a cognitive decline. Cooking is a great mental activity to work out the creative parts of your brain, and also the primary motor functions in our nervous system. Its like a mental workout that results in a homemade treat afterword.
Conclusion
There are far more websites that will tell you that cooking is not only beneficial to your body, but also to your mind, the social fabric of family life, and to our general happiness in the long term. Cooking is a past time that requires focus and precision that cannot be compared to with video games or other tech-gadgets that we distract ourselves with today. I would furthermore stipulate that cooking is a necessary tool that everyone should learn and take it upon themselves to be creative and passionate with.
