With an abundance of recipe books out this year, choosing the best and worst will no doubt have been a difficult task for a group of physicians.

However, after much deliberation, Gordon Ramsay's World Kitchen: Recipes from The F-Word has been named the worst of the year for its unhealthy advice on home cooking.

The team from the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine said that one of his recipes for British pheasant casserole was particularly worrying as it could lead to clogging of the arteries.

"Ramsay has travelled to the ends of the Earth to bring back dishes that will wreak havoc on your health," the group commented.

Other chefs to fare unfavourably with the scientists included Trisha Yearwood, whose home cooking book was criticised for its hefty amounts of fat and cholesterol.

Registered nutritionist Carina Norris recently emphasised that there are plenty of ways to reduce the amount of salt used in home cooking, such as be increasing flavour through the use of herbs and spices.