The results of a new study suggest that cooking classes support mental health by promoting a sense of belonging and building self-confidence in the kitchen, as well as promoting healthy nutrition.
Researchers in Australia conducted this study on 657 people who took a 7-week healthy cooking course and completed a survey at the end of it. The results of the survey revealed a significant improvement in general health and mental health, compared to the control group who did not receive cooking lessons.
The study showed that even for participants who didn’t make any changes in how they ate following the lessons, they reported improvements in their mental health.
“Cooking classes can provide social and psychological benefits, as they break isolation, increase cooking confidence, confidence in changing habits, and overcoming lifestyle barriers,” said study leader Jo Reese.
“Sharing and caring for one another through caring for food is common in many cultures, and it’s an empowering factor,” Reese added.
According to the Free Well Health website, the survey that participants answered in the cooking course showed that 77 percent of women were confident in their ability to cook at first, while the percentage among men was only 23 percent, but the percentage was equal in the end between the sexes following completing the lessons. .
This confirms that the enhancement of confidence that occurs following learning to cook several meals has the greatest role in improving the psychological state following learning to cook.