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Should TV chefs be made to give nutritional information about their recipes?
posted at 20/12/2012 10:23 AM GMT
on bmj.com
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*Moderator*
Posts: 1492
First: 7/4/2011 Last: 18/6/2013 |
According to research in the BMJ Christmas issue, recipes by much loved TV chefs (Nigella, Jamie, Hugh) contain more energy, protein, fat and saturated fat than supermarket ready meals! http://www.bmj.com/content/345/bmj.e7607
However, ready meals were deemed not to be much healthier: both ready meals and TV chef recipes failed to comply with WHO recommendations for the avoidance of diet related diseases. The authors suggest that nutritional information should be included in cookery books and that these unhealthy (but delicious) meals should be aired after the 9pm watershed, where foods that are bad for you can only be advertised after this time. We’ve seen supermarkets adopt pie charts showing the amount of fat, salt, saturated fat etc – so shouldn’t TV chefs who make millions from their brand also take some responsibility for the health of the nation?
Whilst I watch Hugh and pine for the idyllic lifestyle of River Cottage – I know it isn’t a reality for me. The food is far too expensive and time consuming to make. Are their recipes a way of life or just something we all dip into once or twice a week? Fast food companies are subject to sanctions on when and what they can show before 9pm – probably because of the influence they might have on younger generations. But what of the middle age and middle classes – how effective would a curfew be? Surely adults will just watch the programmes after 9pm (because it’s not their bedtime) and I doubt there are many children who are TV chef fanatics and have the money and resources to binge on these recipes.
Whilst there are issues about the impact a watershed would have - should TV chefs be made to give nutritional information about their recipes? Or do you think this is an encroachment on the enjoyment you have in eating their delicious – but unhealthy- meals from time to time? |
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Re: Should TV chefs be made to give nutritional information about their recipes?
posted at 20/12/2012 1:25 PM GMT
on bmj.com
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Posts: 6
First: 23/10/2012 Last: 21/2/2013 |
I think the difference with ready meals is that you do not know what has been put in and what amounts. If you are making the food yourself and use a pot of double cream you know it's not a healthy recipe! Most chefs tell of a healthier substitute like natural yoghurt and in Jamie's recent 15 minute meals book the recipes have been designed with a dietician and have the calorie count. Christmas recipes are never healthy and I'm sure most o fus indulge at christmas... is that bad? If we promote such things to our patients we are bound to lose the fight. Life is about moderation, occassionally fatty recipes are to be enjoyed and there is nothing wrong with that! |
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Re: Should TV chefs be made to give nutritional information about their recipes?
posted at 20/12/2012 2:51 PM GMT
on bmj.com
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Posts: 1336
First: 13/4/2010 Last: 16/6/2013 |
The difference between ready meals and cooking from scratch is that if you cook form scratch you don't need to worry about the colourings,additives, preservatives, trans-fats, salt, sugar and refined carbohydrates that are found in almost all ready meals and fast food. In terms of "River Cottage food" being too expensive and time consuming I think that depends on your mind set and how much importance you place on eating good food as opposed to, say, spending your cash on alcohol or nights out or ski trips or whatever. I value food. I cook most meals from scratch even after my usual 10 hour working day. With careful planning and timing it doesn't take me more than 20 to 30 minutes to rattle up something delicious, nutricious and exciting for the whole family and it doesn't cost a lot either. So, for example, 200g black beans (pre-soaked or from a tin) - 50p; fresh salsa (that's just 4 tomatoes, one red onion and a clove or two of garlic) - another 50p; 150g of grated cheese - about £1; a finely chopped onion - about 20p; mix all together in a bowl then wrap in flour tortillas - about £1 for 6; baked in the oven for 10 minutes and served with sour cream - another 80p there - and home made guacamole (that's two avocado, a wee bit of your already chooped onion and garlic, some lime juice and some chilli - total cost about £1). There you go Matthew - a delcicious, fresh, made-from-scratch healthy meal for 4 people for about £5. |
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Re: Should TV chefs be made to give nutritional information about their recipes?
posted at 22/12/2012 1:08 AM GMT
on bmj.com
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Posts: 206
First: 13/10/2009 Last: 18/6/2013 |
It is not just the nutritional content , but also the lack of basic hygiene shown by some of these chefs. Recently I watched one woman stuffing a turkey whilst wearing at least one enormous ring - hand going well inside the bird. Most of these chefs seem incapable of basic recipes without adding salt (not just to taste) or double cream or copious amounts of butter. Certainly in those newspapers that see themselves as "upmarket". |
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Re: Should TV chefs be made to give nutritional information about their recipes?
posted at 22/12/2012 3:29 PM GMT
on bmj.com
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Posts: 324
First: 23/12/2011 Last: 3/5/2013 |
It seems to be endemic in chefs to add a handful of salt where they say 'just a pinch.' I think this is a big problem and apart from the hygiene problems listed above (which cant really be included in nutritional information but still worth pointing out) I think it is important to realise how healthy these recipes actually are. |
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Re: Should TV chefs be made to give nutritional information about their recipes?
posted at 23/12/2012 6:14 AM GMT
on bmj.com
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Posts: 3005
First: 10/3/2009 Last: 19/6/2013 |
Do we want a total nanny state? I reckon that <0.01% watching Nigella's cleavage while she makes a reduction actually repeat the recipe sans cleavage in their own squalid cuisine. But I could be wrong. Odysseus |
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Re: Should TV chefs be made to give nutritional information about their recipes?
posted at 23/12/2012 9:26 AM GMT
on bmj.com
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Posts: 619
First: 6/9/2012 Last: 18/6/2013 |
There is a tendency to watch TV chefs ( probably including their cleavages, although I´m no expert on this) preparing something extravagant while enjoying one´s own TV dinner, usually sth from the fast food section or takeaway. It is a sort of nostalgia - cooking disappears ( I have read somewhere that about half of British households don´t own a dining table any more, though I couldn´t believe the figures) and is transformed into a TV event. The same sort of nostalgis applies to nuns, country vets and country doctors, at least in my country. There are all sorts of cosy shows on these subjects since the real thing is disappearing. Cooking from scratch should be encouraged, of course, but I am afraid that TV shows just don´t do that, but tend to replace it. About the calory thing - this is sth I don´t really want to know when enjoying a wonderful meal. This is also a topic I hate being discussed in the festive season... Bon appétit à tous !!! |
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Re: Should TV chefs be made to give nutritional information about their recipes?
posted at 23/12/2012 2:06 PM GMT
on bmj.com
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Posts: 3059
First: 27/3/2012 Last: 13/6/2013 |
Yes, I do agree with the authors that that nutritional information should be included in cookery books and the nutritional value should be mentioned by the TV chefs as well. |
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Re: Should TV chefs be made to give nutritional information about their recipes?
posted at 23/12/2012 6:06 PM GMT
on bmj.com
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Posts: 47
First: 13/11/2012 Last: 14/5/2013 |
I would say it is really important to give nutritional information. It's quite hard to work it out sometimes. I am something of a calorie counter (I freely ignore it for a special occasion or one-off, though), but if you're making these sorts of chef-type meals regularly, how could you reasonably know what a portion contained otherwise? In a similar vein, portion size and BMI knowledge within the medical community as well as the general population are pretty dire, just using my uni friends as a very non-random sample (some are genuinely shocked at portion size and whether or not friend A or B is obese/underweight, and we supposedly know about it). There is no harm in offering this information, and if you choose to blithely ignore it then go on ahead. I'll continue to try and minimise the flab, thanks, and some help along the way with the calorie content etc would be much appreciated.
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Re: Should TV chefs be made to give nutritional information about their recipes?
posted at 31/12/2012 10:36 PM GMT
on bmj.com
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Posts: 206
First: 13/10/2009 Last: 18/6/2013 |
recipe just come up from one of our best known chefs - starts with 6 large eggs + 2 bags of salted crisps + added salt + cheese + other ingredients.all for 2 people. Not as bad as another one recently which I had assumed was for at least 4 , but was stated to be for 2. And these are meant to be for only 1 course of the meal......... |
