In a moment when viral diets come and go at algorithm speed—keto, paleo, intermittent fasting—more and more experts in integrative nutrition are championing a simple idea: there is no single eating pattern that works for everyone.
“The question shouldn’t be what diet is fashionable, but who you are and what your body needs,” explains Gemma Hortet, a nutritionist specializing in energetic cooking. Her approach starts from a clear premise: there are no inherently “good” or “bad” foods, only foods suitable for each moment in life.
A Commitment to Traditional Cooking
Gemma began weaving into her practice a style of cooking that feels more like that of our grandparents than today’s trends: hearty stews, elaborate and nourishing recipes using natural ingredients, bone broths, soups… Far from counting calories or demonizing ingredients, energetic cooking aims to recover something modern life has diluted: the relationship between what we eat, the energy it provides, and internal balance.
Hortet describes her approach as a mindful return to traditional cooking. “It’s a tribute to grandmotherly cooking: taking time, honoring processes, and listening to the body,” she says. Do you need a good pot for your stews?
The Crock-Pot slow cooker is an ideal ally for those who want to reclaim slow cooking and respect the natural timing of foods. It allows you to plan meals ahead thanks to its digital timer and keeps dishes warm without losing quality. Its gentle cooking method favors digestive-friendly preparations like stews, legumes, or light vegetable creams, very aligned with energetic cooking. In addition, the removable oven- and dishwasher-safe bowl makes it easier to cook in bulk and practice batch cooking without hassle.
According to the expert, our physical and mental constitution should guide our dietary choices. Not everyone digests the same way or responds to the same foods in the same manner, and that is one of the major mistakes of today: nutritional standardization. “We are not what we eat; we are what we digest,” notes the nutritionist.
And Steam Cooking…
One of the pillars of energetic cooking is synchronization with circadian rhythms. In other words, adapting nourishment to the body’s natural functioning. At night, Hortet explains, the body needs digestive rest. “Eating dinner too late or too heavily goes against our physiology. Our body prepares for sleep, not for heavy digestion.”
The expert recommends light, easily assimilated nocturnal meals. She even includes an unusual tip: if you feel hungry before bed, it can be useful to have a small amount of natural sweetness—such as fruit or steamed or boiled pumpkin—to prevent nocturnal awakenings linked to a dip in energy.
Steam cooking with…
The Pyrex® steaming basket with lid is a simple option to incorporate steam cooking, a key technique in energetic cooking for its ability to preserve nutrients, flavor, and digestive lightness. Made from heat-resistant borosilicate glass, it allows you to observe the cooking process and adjust times without opening the container. Versatile and easy to clean, it’s ideal for preparing vegetables, fish, or gentle dishes that honor the natural energy of foods.
For Hortet, one of the current problems is the idealization of certain dietary models. “The ketogenic diet, paleo, or any trend isn’t for everyone. Vitality comes from designing a personalized diet,” she argues.
From her perspective, the goal isn’t to restrict foods but to understand how they affect the body. Even ingredients considered healthy may not be suitable depending on the moment or the person. “Salad is overly idealized,” she notes. Raw foods, she explains, can be difficult to digest for some people or in certain seasons.
What Exactly Is Energetic Cooking?
Energetic cooking is not a diet or a closed method. It is a dietary philosophy based on observing nature and on ancient traditions such as Traditional Chinese Medicine and macrobiotics, adapted to contemporary nutrition. Hortet explains this in her book: “Fuel Your Vitality.” Highly recommended if you want to change your habits but don’t believe in fashion diets, if you enjoy nourishing yourself well and cooking with dedication to extract every nutrient from foods. The book also offers many recipes.
It is a practical guide to starting energetic cooking from common sense and dietary personalization. Gemma Hortet proposes learning to eat according to life stage, energy level, and lifestyle, moving away from universal diets. The book introduces traditional cooking techniques and keys to prevent chronic fatigue through a more conscious, balanced, and personalized nutrition.
Each food possesses an energetic quality—cool, warm, neutral, or hot—that produces different effects on the body. Cooking, far from being just a culinary act, transforms that energy and modifies its physiological impact. From this viewpoint, digestion becomes the true center of health: it’s not so much what we ingest as the body’s ability to make use of it.
Balancing Emotions Through the Plate
Another distinctive aspect of the energetic approach is the connection between food and emotional state. Some naturally sweet foods—carrot, sweet potato, or pumpkin—provide fiber and promote serotonin production, associated with emotional well-being. Hortet suggests incorporating them through traditional techniques such as slow cooking or advance prep.
A practical example: cook pumpkin, let it rest in the fridge, and eat it the following day. During that resting period, part of its sugars convert into resistant starch, a type of fiber beneficial for the gut microbiota.
“When we take care of digestion, we also regulate energy, the immune system, and body weight,” she explains. At the heart of energetic cooking lies the balance between opposing forces, comparable to the Eastern concept of yin and yang.
The more refreshing and expansive foods—such as tropical fruits, alcohol, or an excess of raw foods—can cool the body if they predominate. By contrast, hot, cooked, comforting preparations provide stability and digestive support. If you’re looking for a tool to help you cook a wide variety of dishes…
The Moulinex Maxichef Advance MK8121 is a versatile appliance for those seeking to simplify daily cooking without sacrificing homemade, nourishing meals. It can steam, braise, purée, prepare cereals or ferments—techniques common in energetic cooking because they promote gentle digestions and comforting dishes. Its automatic programming and keep-warm function help organize menus in advance, making balanced eating easier even on busy days. Ideal for practical cooking that respects the timing and textures of foods.
Eat to Energize, Not Just to Nourish
Perhaps the greatest contribution of energetic cooking is reframing the question about eating. It’s not solely about ingesting nutrients, but about observing how we feel after eating. Fatigue, heavy digestion, mood swings, or constant cravings can be signals of energetic imbalance.
“Food not only builds the body; it also regulates our daily vitality,” Hortet concludes. In an era of nutritional abundance and dietary confusion, her proposal recovers a nearly forgotten idea: eating well isn’t about following universal rules, but about learning to listen to yourself.
Practical Tips to Get Started with Energetic Cooking
The goals of energetic cooking are to improve energy, digestion, and emotional well-being without resorting to restrictive diets.
- Listen to how you feel after eating: beyond calories or nutrients, energetic cooking invites you to observe the body’s response: sleepiness, bloating, anxiety, or steady energy are key indicators.
- Honor circadian rhythms: have dinner light and early to aid rest and avoid nighttime digestion that can interfere with sleep and recovery.
- Prioritize hot, slow cooking: stews, creams, cooked vegetables, or long-cooked preparations help the digestive system work with less effort.
- Avoid idealizing any single food: neither fad diets nor foods deemed “perfect” work for everyone. Even too much raw or salad can be hard to digest for some people.
- Introduce natural sweetness to balance emotions: vegetables such as pumpkin, sweet potato, or carrot provide fullness and support energetic stability without refined sugar.
- Cook with energetic intention: each food has a nature—more refreshing or warmer—and the way you cook it modifies its effect on the body.
- Personalize your nutrition: “There is no universal diet,” Hortet reminds us. Nutrition should adapt to constitution, life moment, and individual needs.
Other Utensils That Will Ease Your New Way of Cooking
The YOSUKATA carbon-steel Wok is a classic tool of Asian cooking that fits perfectly with the energetic cooking philosophy, which relies on quick techniques that respect texture, flavor, and nutritional value. Made from pre-seasoned carbon steel, it allows you to sauté, braise, or cook at high temperatures while preserving the natural juices of foods. Compatible with all stove types, its design supports dynamic and balanced cooking, ideal for preparing vegetables, grains, or proteins in a healthy, flavorful way.
The Nutribullet Original 600 blender is a practical option to incorporate quick and nutritious preparations into daily life, especially when time is short. Its nutrient-extraction system enables you to make smoothies, creams, or purées in seconds, facilitating the intake of fruits, vegetables, or seeds in a digestible and balanced way. Compact and easy to use, it’s ideal to complement mindful eating without complicating the daily routine.
This milk-making machine offers a practical alternative for those looking to reduce ultraprocessed products and opt for natural plant-based beverages. It allows you to easily make almond, oat, soy, or coconut milks, as well as plant-based yogurt, without additives or added sugars. Its automatic system blends, heats, and strains the ingredients, making preparations more digestible and aligned with mindful, energetic eating. Ideal for incorporating fresh plant-based options into your daily routine.
