Are Cooking Shows A Recipe For Weight Gain?
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Saw the recipe on TV? You might want to reconsider. (Photo: Getty Images)
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Think eating in and cooking from scratch is helping you stay trim? If your recipes are coming from cooking shows, your efforts may be for naught.
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A new study from Cornell University found that viewers who watch cooking shows on TV weigh an average of 11 pounds more than those who watched the shows purely for entertainment. Of the 501 women surveyed, ages 22-35, viewers who follow cooking show recipes were heavier than those who watch but don’t make the recipes and those who don’t watch but source recipes from magazines, online, or other cooks.
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According to study author Lizzy Pope, PhD, this isn’t all that surprising. “Because many cooking shows normalize overconsumption and gratification,” she writes, “it comes as no surprise that viewers’ culinary habits are negatively influenced. This is why it is so important for cooks who enjoy watching these shows to recognize these influences and learn to modify recipes to be more healthful or find recipes from other sources.”
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Keri Gans, RD, echoes Pope’s concerns. “Many cooking shows do a poor job of portraying that good tasting food can be healthy, without a lot of salt or added sugar,” Gans tells Yahoo Health. While cooking your own food is generally healthier than going out to eat, adhering to directions and portion sizes as shown on TV might nix some of the benefits of home cooking.
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If making the dishes you see on cooking shows helps you spend more time in the kitchen and less time grabbing fast food or eating out, great. Now, try adjusting those recipes with healthier ingredients and techniques. “You can lighten up some of the ingredients,” Gans tells Yahoo Health. “If you have to sauté something in butter or oil, cut back and maybe use some vegetable broth instead… For something like chicken Parmesan, try finding a version that’s baked, instead of frying the cutlets.”
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One easy way to do this: “Try searching for the recipe online,” Gans says, and following a lightened-up version, rather than guessing at conversions and substitutions. Need some inspiration? We have your back.
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