I happen to like to cook. I think this is a good thing, since I
also like to eat and eating happens multiple times a day. Cooking is one of the most beneficial
things we can do for our health.
To clarify, cooking is not about
throwing a prepackaged dinner in the microwave, even if we put it on a real
plate afterward. It is about
chopping up vegetables and slicing fruit and choosing seasonings and
herbs. While there are many
advantages to cooking, I will focus on three.
One: it gives us control.
When we are doing the cooking, we have the power over how much sugar,
salt, and fat we add or omit. We don’t
have to worry about colorings and preservatives. Heck, we can even leave out the cilantro, just because we
don’t like it (or double the amount if we do…).
Two: it saves money.
Processed food costs more because the food processors have to add
energy. Cooking our own food saves
on packaging costs. The farmers
who grow our food do not need to recoup the costs of the huge marketing
campaigns they have mounted to get us to buy the Super Branded Snack-o-Rama
Food of the Month in the New Improved Cheese and Bacon Flavor.
Three: it increases pleasure.
Homemade food generally tastes better. Also, there is the sensory pleasure of cooking: the smell of herbs, the sizzle of hot
pans, the colors of fresh vegetables.
Give it a try. It’s good for us.
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