It’s true.

Sweethearts Regine Velasquez and Ogie Alcasid have been losing weight, and it’s all because of the former’s cooking. But it’s not what you think. Since taking up the skill, or the skillet in this case, Regine has been whipping up healthy and balanced dishes for her boyfriend.

"I prepare his food everyday. Right now nagdi-diet siya pero ayoko ng low in sugar, salt and carbs siya lagi. I don’t think that is healthy with the kind of work he does tapos he has several shows (‘S.O.P.,’ ‘Big Show,’ ‘Pinoy Idol,’ ‘Bubble Gang’) at nagwo-work out pa siya so I made a diet for him," she says.

"Basta I make sure everything is fresh and his meals are balanced. Minsan I prepare grilled fish na may teriyaki sauce, tapos salad, and I force him to eat fruits because he doesn’t like to eat them.

"For carbs, I give him potato or corn or kamote. I also make him eat chocolate because I read somewhere that pure chocolate is actually good so I let him have dark chocolate."

Believe it or not, since discovering a passion for the culinary arts, she has also lost considerable weight.

"Problema ko, ‘di ako kumakain kapag nagluluto ako. Tinitikman ko lang kaya namamayat ako kaluluto," she reveals.

"Sometimes buong araw akong nagluluto so ‘di ako kumakain. Patikim-tikim lang. Basta kailangan kong tikman, lalo na ang main course."

The singer-actress, who will soon be seen playing a pastry chef in the local version of the Koreanovela "Kim Sam Soon," discovered her talent for cooking late last year, after transferring to her own home in an exclusive subdivision in Quezon City.

"Every Sunday, my family and friends, even Ogie’s family, they would go over to my home, the boys would play basketball, so may rason magluto," she relates. "Dati potluck. Pero later on ako na lang ang nagluluto."

She did not take any formal cooking classes. The much-awarded singer, as it turns out, is a whiz at the kitchen too. She is something of a wonder, as she can recall dishes upon dishes that she saw being prepared years ago in several cooking shows.

"Mahilig akong manuod ng lifestyle programs and I remember what they cook. Like I cooked risotto recently but I saw that on TV mga eight years ago pa."

She is very experimental when it comes to cooking.

"I cooked foie gras. I don’t like it when I tried it but I decided to make it and my friends like it. I discovered how to rid it of its aftertaste by using red wine and honey."

It’s not just Ogie who gets to enjoy Regine’s newfound passion. Her friends often get invitation for food tasting, but Regine says, she doesn’t stop with just cooking, she also makes sure that the food looks good. "Tapos na ako sa buffet style, may plating na ako."

And what are her specialties?

"I’m into Asian food, before Italian, pero I got bored. Pinakamadali kasi pasta at pizza. You can put anything, OK na. I’m cooking Thai dishes. Mahirap pala pero I like it

"S.O.P." co-host and friend Jaya was one of the special people she cooked for.

"Jaya had a party, and I’ve never cooked before but I prepared Thai food for it. Five-course meal pa ‘yun," she beams. "From soup to salad and the rest of the dishes, ‘yung iba imbento ko pa, yung iba galing sa cookbook."

Cooking, says Regine, is such a healthy habit because it has also become a stress-reliever.

"Pag na stress ako, nag ma- marinade ako o nagluluto at napapansin ko na ‘di ako masyadong ninenerbyos. Naka-calm ako."