If you love to cook from scratch, but take your inspiration from TV chefs, chances are you’re going to be heavier than your other culinary queens.
New research has found that women who follow recipes made by TV chefs tend to be 11lbs or two dress sizes heavier.
The proof was in the pudding when researchers found that of all the ways to collect recipes – from a friend to magazines, or from online to TV shows – those who step into the kitchen inspired by TV cooks can prepare to start piling on the pounds.
The study, conducted by Cornell University, blamed recipes rich in cream, butter and other ‘naughty’ ingredients as the main threats to the cook’s waistline.
As well as boasting a higher calorie count and containing more fat than supermarket ready meals, the dishes were also seen to be lacking in fibre.
The survey took a sample of women aged between 20 and 35 years old, asking how often they cooked and how much they weighed.
Analysing the results in the journal Appetite, researcher Professor Brian Wansink believes the admiration of celebrity chefs may blind us to the nutritional value of the food they are preparing:
“Because many cooking shows normalise over-consumption and gratification, it comes as no surprise that viewers’ culinary habits are negatively influenced.
“This is why it is important for cooks who enjoy watching these shows to recognise these influences and learn to modify the recipes to be more healthy or find recipes from other sources.”
