In a video published on May 6, 2026, Dr. Jean-Michel Cohen deciphers the promises and limits of the ultra-convenient foods that invade our plates. Meat substitutes, prepared meals, cooking without oil: while these solutions can help save time, they do not always guarantee a better nutritional balance. And sometimes they just shift the problem.
When fast cooking becomes the everyday norm
There is no time, the days go by, and the kitchen adapts. In many homes, the organization of meals no longer resembles that of ten years ago. Batch cooking – preparing several meals in advance – and appliances like the air fryer have established themselves as everyday allies.
These tools promise simplicity and efficiency. Less cooking, less monitoring, less added fat. The idea appeals, especially in a society where every minute counts. But this kitchen modernization doesn’t tell the whole story.
Because although technology saves time, it does not automatically guarantee better nutritional quality. And this is where food choices become essential.
Plant substitutes: an interesting alternative, but not neutral
Among the most visible developments in recent years, meat substitutes occupy a central place. Plant-based burgers, meatless nuggets, steaks made from pea or soy proteins: their presence in supermarkets has become widely available.
Nutritionally, these products have certain advantages. Dr Jean-Michel Cohen details them in a video published on May 6, 2026: “an increased fiber content”.
These foods also contain “much less saturated fat,” which can be beneficial for cardiovascular health. Another positive point: the absence of cholesterol and the frequent addition of micronutrients such as iron or vitamin B12, particularly monitored in vegetarian or vegan diets.
But these benefits must be qualified.
Because not all substitutes are equal. Their protein profile is sometimes lower than that of traditional meat. As the specialist recalls: “The protein contents of these products are not the same as those of meat.
Beyond the quantity, it is also the quality of the proteins which can vary, with amino acid profiles sometimes incomplete. Another point of vigilance: taste. To improve the acceptability of these products, manufacturers often resort to formulation adjustments, particularly in terms of salt.
An element far from trivial, when we know that excess sodium remains a significant risk factor for high blood pressure and cardiovascular diseases.
The air fryer and prepared meals: between time savings and the illusion of health
The air fryer, often presented as a culinary revolution, allows you to cook food with very little fat. An alternative to traditional frying that appeals to many households. But again, technology does not automatically transform food.
A food fried without oil is not necessarily a healthy food. It all depends on its initial nature, its industrial transformation and its overall composition. Prepared meals remain very present in modern diets. Their main advantage is obvious: they save time. But their composition sometimes raises questions.
Excess salt, added sugars, additives, preservatives… their list of ingredients can extend well beyond what we imagine. Specialists therefore recommend favoring products with a simple composition, with a short and understandable list of ingredients. An often reliable benchmark for identifying a more limited level of transformation.
In this context, “fast” cooking can become a subtle balance to find. It is not a question of rejecting these modern tools, but of replacing them in a global food strategy.
Combine air fryer and raw foods, favor fresh or frozen vegetables without additives, integrate quality proteins: so many choices that allow you to reconcile practicality and balance.
Rethinking modern cuisine without giving up pleasure
What this evolution ultimately outlines is less an opposition between “good” and “bad” foods than a profound change in relationship to time and cuisine. Eating quickly is no longer an exception, but a norm. And in this new rhythm, nutritional decisions become more complex.
The challenge is not to go back, but to understand what lies behind the practical solutions that we adopt on a daily basis. Because behind the air fryer, plant-based substitutes or ready-made meals, a question remains: what are we really eating, and at what cost for our long-term health?
Dr. Cohen thus calls for a form of enlightened vigilance, far from injunctions and simplistic speeches. A way of reminding us that food modernity is neither good nor bad in itself — it depends above all on the way in which we embrace it.