We take vitamins, work out and generally practice healthy habits in the quest for living well. And hopefully longer, too. Longevity and health it seems go hand in hand.
After reading a blurb in Women’s Health Magazine stating – “People who cook 5+ times/week are 53% more likely to be alive in 10 years than people who don’t cook” – I had to check it out.
They were referencing a study published in Public Health Nutrition, a Cambridge University journal. A group of 1,888 men and women over age 65 who lived in Taiwan were evaluated during the course of the study.
At the start of the study, they interviewed each participant about several lifestyle factors, including cooking habits, household circumstances, shopping habits, diet, education, transportation and smoking.
During the initial survey, researchers found that 43 percent of participants never cooked. Another 17 percent cooked one to two times per week and 9 percent cooked three to five times in a week. Nearly 31 percent cooked five or more times a week.
Ultimately, the researchers found an association between frequent home cooking and longevity.
“The pathways to health that food provides are not limited to its nutrients or components, but extend to each step in the food chain, from its production, to purchase, preparation and eating, especially with others.”
The secret is linked to the act of purchasing and preparing the foods, not simply the nutritional benefits of those foods, as well as the communal element of a shared meal.
Cooking at home takes time and prep work, but it just might add years to your life!
References:
Huffington Post: Healthy Living
Cambridge University’s: Public Health Nutrition
Molly Grace James 
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