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Insights from ‘Wellbeing Through Cooking’ Gallup Research – a Brief Overview

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I’m excited to share with you a just released research that brings together my expertise as both a Gallup Certified Strengths Coach and a Registered Dietitian. The report on Wellbeing Through Cooking, done by Gallup and the Ajinomoto Group explores the connection between two simple things: cooking and eating together regularly with people you know. The report looks at this connection across different cultures and backgrounds. It also asks an interesting question: What kind of cook are you?

You can get a taste of some answers in this summary blog. [1] If you want all the details and global insights, check out the full report.

Cooking Enjoyment in North Americans

Nearly three in four North Americans reported enjoying cooking in the past seven days, surpassing other global regions. In Canada 75% of people indicated they enjoyed cooking in the past seven days, with women (79%) slightly outnumbering men (68%).

Cooking Enjoyment and Subjective Wellbeing

Globally, those why enjoyed cooking in the past week were significantly more likely to be “thriving” in their life evaluation compared to those who didn’t.  The research findings suggest that cooking can positively impact social life and can help improve various aspects of an individual’s well being.

Importance of Eating with Others  

Aligning with Canada’s food Guide recommendation  recommendation[2] “Eat meals with others’ and Gallup’s research this survey highlights a positive link between subjective wellbeing and regularly sharing a meal with someone you know. By contrast, habitually dining alone was associated with a lower quality of life in some circumstances.

Identifying Your Cooking Style

Have you ever wondered what type of a cook you might be and the level of enjoyment it brings? The final section of the research offers a demographic breakdown of five types of home cooks globally. This insight may be valuable for personal reflection and business building for those in recipe development and meal planning.

Summary:

Enjoying cooking aligns with enjoying life. As more people globally live alone, there’s an opportunity for policymakers, community advocates and other stakeholders to support the goals of ‘Cook more often’ and “Eat meals with others” to enhance the overall wellbeing of communities. ( Gallup, Health Canada)

If you’re wondering how this report might affect your personal and business success, I’m offering a free 15-minute Gallup Certified Coaching check-in with me. This personalized session is a chance for us to chat about the report’s insights and see how they align with your goals and strengths. Let’s connect!

If you have questions or comments about this story, please contact us. 

References:
[1]  Gallup & Ajinomoto Group(2023)
[2] Health Canada, Canada’s Food Guide Healthy Eating Recommendations (2019)

This article was written by Lucia Weiler, BSc, RD, PHEc – Award-winning dietitian and Owner, n4nn.

Bridging the Gap between Nutrition Science and Culinary Arts

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ambition nutrition June 2016

We recently attended the AMBITION NUTRITION conference  at George Brown College in Toronto where academic professionals, dietitians, culinary experts, and industry leaders joined for an interactive day to examine the gaps and opportunities that exist between research, education, nutrition, diet, and culinary arts. Here are some of the top insights posted on twitter by thought leaders at #AmbitionNutrition…

  • “Public is confused about #nutrition says @Dmozaffarian” @SueMahRD
  • “@davidludwigmd advice is to replace highly processed casrbs we healthy fats #weightloss” by @SueMahRD
  • “Lets fall in love with food again! @MichaelMossC” by @SueMahRD
  • “Nutrition is emotional & personal – 1 person 1 meal at a time struggle” by @LuciaWeilerRD
  • “Food is #1 cause of poor health in the world-yet NOT on e-health record-pay more attention 2 diet 4 health @Dmozaffarian” by ‏@LuciaWeilerRD
  • “Diet quality is the driving force behind obesity” @Dmozaffarian by @JenniferSygo
  •  “Eat less and move more” advice (is too simple and) does not work!…” by‏ @JarRraSummer
  •  “Let’s not vilify foods & stop focusing on the bad ~ let’s flip this & add more good “back to basics” food to our day.” ‏@MairlynSmith
  • “Your diet is like dating. You have to get to know your diet or it will never last.” @DougMcNish
  • “It’s not the “bad” in the diet that causes problems. It’s too little of the “good” – Eat veg fish beans @Dmozaffarian” ‏@CaraRosenbloom
  • “It is all about the quality of your diet not calories in/out when it comes to wt loss & risk of disease @Dmozaffarian” by @ShaunaLindzonRD
  • “Villifying any food may be the gateway to orthorexia @JennSygo” by ‏@TrishBitesLife
  • “Creating a healthy and positive food environment has to come from the policy level, not the individual level.” @ConfessionsRD
  • “Good point re: menu labelling – may cause people to choose lower cal options regardless of their quality @Dmozaffarian” ‏by @chelseaallenrd
  • “Cilantro haters is not your fault! Blame the Soapy taste on your genes!” @elsohemy by @LuciaWeilerRD
  • “ Chefs make nutrition recos come to life! Dietitian says pick your fave veg oil!” by @LuciaWeilerRD

 

 

 

 

Everyday Super Food

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Sue Lucia Jamie Oliver bookICYMI, Jamie Oliver was in Toronto to launch his new TV show on Food Network Canada and his new cookbook Everyday Super Food. We were there at the TV show prescreening and had a chance to listen to Jamie’s thoughts on his latest cookbook.

The uber chef and foodie, noted that his 40th birthday was the impetus behind this cookbook in which he has a section dedicate to nutrition healthy eating. With so many inspiring words of wisdom from Jamie, we just aren’t sure which one of these is our favourite!

  • “On cold, wet, rainy days, food can be a hug.”
  • “Access to freshly grown food is linked to longevity.”
  • “If you just pick up your shopping and get cooking, you’ll be in a beautiful place.”
  • “Food is there to be enjoyed, shared, and celebrated, and healthy, nourishing food should be colourful, delicious, and fun.”

Veggies are Trending for Culinary Inspirations

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Pictured: Cohen’s Broccoli Dogs - grilled and smoked broccoli sautéed in broccoli oil, and served with a side of broccoli kraut and broccoli rabe chips.

Pictured: Cohen’s Broccoli Dogs – grilled and smoked broccoli sautéed in broccoli oil, and served with a side of broccoli kraut and broccoli rabe chips.

“Anyone can cook a hamburger, leave vegetables to the professionals.”

That’s Amanda Cohen’s mantra. The Canadian born chef and owner of Dirt Candy restaurant in NYC is on to something with her vegetable inspired menu. Here are highlights from our interview with Cohen.

Tell us a bit about yourself.

Cohen: I was born in Ottawa but grew up in Toronto. I came to New York to go to NYU and never looked back. I wet to the Natural Gourmet Institute’s Chef’s Training Program and after that I worked in pretty much every single restaurant I could for about 10 years. I realized that no one was going to give me a chance to cook the kind of food I wanted to cook, so I opened the original Dirt Candy in 2008. It’s been going like gangbusters ever since.

What inspired you to focus on vegetables only?

Cohen: There are hundreds of steak houses, thousands of seafood restaurants, millions of hamburger restaurants, but Dirt Candy is the only restaurant that only focuses on vegetables. I’m not making vegetarian food, and I’m not making fish with a lot of vegetable sides. I’m cooking vegetables. I’m sitting here in my kitchen and running it like a lab, seeing how far I can push each vegetable and what kind of flavor I can get out of them. No one else is doing this, so for me, it’s like being in the Wild West. There are no rules, and no one telling me what I should do. I love it!

What are vegetables so tricky to work with?

Cohen: Vegetables are tricky because they have no fat…fat carries flavor, so you have to add [flavor] yourself. Also, vegetables have a high water content that you have to get rid of somehow when you cook them. And finally, vegetables have a uniform texture throughout and don’t have the different flavours and textures that say a big chunk of steak will have. To make vegetables taste good, you really have to work.

Tell us about your Broccoli Dogs!

Cohen: I spent three months trying to make them work before throwing everything out and starting from scratch, which took another four weeks. I experimented with 38 different doughs before finding the right one I use for the bun.

Any plans to open a Dirt Candy in Canada sometime??

Cohen: I wish!

Molecular Gastronomy Canadian Association of Foodservice Professionals (CAFP) – January 22, 2014

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What a way to start off the New Year! On January 22, 2014 we attended the Canadian Association of Foodservice Professionals’ (CAFP) “Molecular Gastronomy” event hosted by Humber College*.  Chef John Placko demonstrated innovative cuisines where science and culinary arts intersect to create new techniques and dishes including sous vide cooking.

Sous vide cooking means “under vacuum,” in French. Food is vacuum-sealed in strong plastic bags and cooked in a circulating water bath at low temperatures for a long time to lock in juices and flavour without added fat. For example, after 75 minutes at 60°C, meat was slightly pink but fully cooked, tender and incredibly flavourful. Chef Placko’s unique Australian ingredients took the spotlight and we sampled pepperberry seasoned kangaroo loin cooked sous vide and served with a sweet chili sauce. Yumm!

You too have probably eaten sous vide cooked foods in restaurants or while travelling on planes or trains and didn’t even know it!  This innovative approach to cooking is used by food service professionals in hospitals, rail and airline companies, and even the military. Sous vide machines are also found in the homes of French cooks, but North American consumers are just starting to show interest as the first home sous-vide machines are expected to come to market. Watch for more innovation in this unique cooking trend.

(*Congratulations to our colleague Susan Somerville RD, the newly appointed Dean School of Hospitality, Recreation & Tourism at Humber College who hosted the event.)

Top Trends for 2014

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From protein and probiotics to tea and cooking, we’ve got the scoop on the top 10 hottest trends for 2014.

  1. Protein Power – New science is underscoring the beneficial effect of dietary protein on weight management and muscle health. For example, eating a high protein breakfast not only leads to increased feeling of fullness but also reduces evening snacking. Also, a protein source at each meal and snack helps to maintain energy and muscle strength especially after exercise and as we age. In light of this, current protein recommendations may be under review with respect to the amount and distribution of dietary protein, including considerations for meal based rather than specific daily recommendations.
  2. Anti-wheat Sentiment – Although scientific evidence is lacking for wheat – or gluten-elimination diets for weight loss or health (unless it is associated with a clinical disorder or disease) consumers will continue to seek this popular diet. According to an NDP survey 28% of adults claimed to be cutting down or avoiding gluten completely.
  3. Supermarket Savvy – Supermarket Dietitians are increasingly visible at grocery stores which is an exciting trend for consumers. Registered Dietitians are the food and nutrition experts who are uniquely positioned to assist Canadians to shop smarter, cook healthier, and make healthier food choices. Some experts predict that supermarkets could become a new form of the culinary centre. Many stores already offer cooking demos or “community cooking centers” that allow shoppers to come together and learn from one another.
  4. Back to Basics with Cooking – The 2014 Nutrition Month Campaign – Simply Cook and Enjoy! – is dedicated to serving up practical advice on cooking and food skills from dietitians, the food and nutrition experts. Health Canada’s Healthy Eating Awareness and Education Initiative for 2014 concentrates on Healthy Eating and Healthy weights by focusing on food skills, portion sizes and calories. Industry experts say that a deeper understanding of how Canadians prepare and consume meals helps manufacturers and retailers provide mealtime solutions in the kitchen.
  5. Pro Biotic Power & Fermented Foods – Studies suggest that probiotics (live bacteria in food) may help lessen diarrhea, improve symptoms of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Consumers may be interested in foods other than yogurt that contain probiotics such as fermented foods like kefir milk, sauerkraut and kimchi. Also watch for more news on the gut – brain connection.
  6. Sugar & Sugar Substitutes – Media and consumers are intent on added sugar as another food trend. An IFIC survey reported that 58% of Americans are trying to limit or avoid sugar. Helping consumers understand the role of naturally occurring sugar, added sugar and sugar substitutes is important so they can make informed food and nutrition choices.
  7. Local & Eco-conscious – Sustainable food systems, local and eco-friendly foods are important to many Canadians who believe that a sustainable eating pattern contributes to their own health as well as the health of the planet. Food researchers say roughly one-third of food produced for humans around the globe is lost or wasted each year – 1.3 billion tons of it. Increased awareness of this problem is expected in 2014 with home and restaurant food preparers attempting to reduce food waste. Look for ways to promote sustainability in the kitchen, understand the issues of organics, local food systems, food choices, and carbon footprint.
  8. Government & Industry Compliance – Canada’s regulatory landscape continues to evolve and as a result industry’s relationship with regulators is also changing. Health Canada recognizes that a safe food supply is a major contributing factor to the health of Canadians. Food industry is also committed to providing safe food and wants to make sure consumers are happy with their products and continue to purchase them. Maintaining healthy and happy consumers is a challenge government and industry must face by working together.
  9. Tea is Hot – Canadian Tea consumption is expected to rise by 40%. Flavoured teas are catching on too. Expect to hear more about the health benefits of tea flavonoids related to heart health, brain health and weight management. Furthermore, tea is not just for sipping anymore, this natural ingredient is making its way into rubs, broths and marinades.
  10. The Age of (Mis)information & Social Media – Consumers continue to have an appetite for food and nutrition information which will only grow in 2014. Bloggers will continue to write about nutrition and health, there will be more and better food photography – watch for it on Pintrest and Instagram. With the boom of social media and the interest in health and nutrition, Canadians will continue to need advice from food and nutrition experts like dietitians to cut through the clutter.