If you’re like me, you don’t have time to try the latest cooking trends on social media. But there’s good news! There’s a new one that you may already be doing, if you make mac-and-cheese or spaghetti.
The latest cooking term going viral on TikTok is “water-based cooking.” And it’s basically just what it sounds like.
One video shows a montage of things being boiled, steamed, and cooked as soups and stews, with the caption, “You started water-based cooking, and now your skin is clear, your stomach is thriving, and you recover from illness overnight.”
And some claim that water-based methods like boiling, blanching, steaming, or poaching can reverse aging. (Here’s a lady explaining the positive benefits.)
@food.by.rachel Replying to @Julie water based cooking has improved my energy, depended my sleep, not needing nearly as many naps, pms & PMDD improved, taking less medication for depression, gut motility is better & my skin is literally glowing. #fyp #hormonesupport #autoimmunehealing #longevity #antiagingtips #guthealth #waterbasedcooking #leakygutdiet #autoimmunediet #guthealthtiktok #antiagingsecrets #slowliving #antiaging ♬ original sound – Rachel Galperin
The idea is that this “gentler” cooking style avoids “unhealthy” techniques using oils and high heat, like frying, sautéing, baking, air-frying, and grilling, which is supposedly the worst.
Naturally, cooking with water isn’t groundbreaking. So, people online are having some fun with this. Some comments include:
“Gen Z discovers soup.”
“This is just everyday food, especially in Asian cultures.”
“TikTok has a ‘term’ for the most basic things.”
“I remember my first soup.”
“Oh I love how we’re discovering boiling now.”
“Wait. Do I put a pan of water on the burner and then turn on the burner? Or do I turn on the burner and THEN put a pan of water on it?”
“What were you cooking before?”
“I’m two days in, and I’m already looking younger.”
“I do this, but with chicken broth. Does it still count?”
“I can’t wait for the next TikTok trend about ‘fire-based cooking.'”
@alyssadiaries dr michelle davenport the woman you are #waterbasedcooking #healthyfood #soup #wholefoods ♬ Terrapin – Clairo
