Get Cooking: It's Good for Your Health

Eating is a necessity, but cooking is an art, the saying goes. And whether you’re an experienced home chef or just an appreciator of great food, whipping up a delicious dish is an experience anyone can enjoy.

Just ask our residents here at The Mayflower, who have been rolling up their sleeves and turning up the heat at chef-directed culinary classes to make pizza, fresh pasta, and even pastries. (For wine connoisseurs, a series of sommelier-guided tastings offered the perfect pairing.)

But cooking is more than just good fun – it also comes with a generous helping of health benefits:

• Better Nutrition. “I’ve always thought that if you’re aware of what you’re putting in your mouth, you’re not going to eat badly,” says New York Times food writer Mark Bittman – and researchers agree. A wide range of studies have found that adults who cook more often tend to have better nutrition, lower blood pressure, and reduced risk of chronic diseases like diabetes.
• Better Focus. Whether you’re measuring ingredients, preheating the oven, chopping vegetables or getting the seasoning just right, cooking involves a lot of multitasking and planning – both of which can improve executive function and cognitive flexibility. In fact, the balance of achievable-yet-challenging tasks involved in preparing a meal is a perfect recipe for the deeply focused state psychologists call “flow.”
• Better Mood. Like most things in life, cooking is more fun with friends – and regularly sharing meals with loved ones can significantly boost happiness and subjective well-being. As Dr. Michelle Beadle Holder puts it in an article for Berkeley’s Greater Good magazine: “Shared meals are not just nice traditions; they’re measurable contributors to mental and emotional health.”

Here at The Mayflower, you’re always in for a great meal, whether you’re dining at one of our three unique on-campus restaurants, learning from the experts at a culinary class, or whipping up a feast in your own kitchen.

From wellness to entertainment to social events, there’s much more on the menu at The Mayflower – so don’t wait to get a taste of life in Winter Park’s premier Life Plan Community: Send us a message or give us a call at 407.672.1620 to request more information or schedule your personal tour. We look forward to hearing from you!