NEWS
Everyone I know is hooked on baking and there’s no reason to stop now that we are into our January health kick. Make your resolution healthy baking and incorporate some of BiteUK’s fantastic products like Spiffing flour and Pure Bite snacks.
Spiffing’s sprouted flours are easily digested and good carbohydrates meaning that they break down slowly during the day. And I’ve had fun adding Pure Bite snacks to the top of my healthy muffins for extra crunch.
If you’re still lacking inspiration here are some great reasons for getting your bake on.
1. There is a plethora of research showing that baking can improve your mood and your confidence. When you create something, even if it isn’t the perfect specimen or insta-worthy, there is a unique sense of achievement which leads to a feeling of pride in oneself. Consequently boosting your self-worth.
2. I have to admit that I do notice the therapeutic benefit of baking up a storm in the kitchen. If I am feeling stressed or a bit down, creating something delicious is extremely rewarding, even mire so if I am baking for someone else. Psychiatrists even recommend baking for patients with depression. Mary Berry once said, “If you’re feeling a bit down, a bit of kneading helps.” Baking can create comforting and nurturing feelings, which can help your mental wellbeing.
3. Baking gives you time to switch off, focusing on the process means you can give yourself temporary rest bite from other things you may be worrying about. Working through a recipe step by step means you don’t have to think about anything else. It can halt the whirring of your mind easing stress and lifting your mood.
4. Have you noticed how baking accesses all of your senses? The smell of baking brownies, the aroma that triggers a happy memory, the physical kneading of the mixture. Transporting yourself back to happy times and childhood baking days with your Grandma. Utilising all of your senses can increase those feel-good endorphins. When you bake it can work as an antidote to the daily grind. Taste, sight, sound, feeling and memories.
5. Baking could also be good for your career. As well as impressing your colleagues having a hobby at home can boost your productivity at work, if your mood is lifted by baking at home, your mood will be better at work and with your colleagues. Baking could also help you express yourself, improve your skills to problem solve, patience and pride.
6. One of my most favourite reasons for baking at home is the control of ingredients. I can utilise ingredients to create a specific combination to enhance performance, improve recovery, mass gain, enjoy a low calorie treat and work around allergies and food intolerances.
7. Cake can have benefits, for example, a chocolatey cake can be full of anti-oxidants. A coffee and walnut cake will provide omega 3 in the nut oil. There are always ways
you can tweak a recipe too.
8. People that cook at home tend to consume fewer calories, fewer carbohydrates, less sugar and less fat than those that don’t cook at all. Restaurants and fast food or food on the go can be notoriously high in calories, sugar, fats and processed ingredients. These products may also be lower in nutritional content. Even the healthier versions can often be high in sugar and fat. Perhaps get your mates round to your house for a coffee meet up instead of going out, that way as you are in control of the food you are eating, you can still have your cake and eat it.
9. I like to research the foods I include so that they are not just for taste. Baking my own cakes can combine nutritious foods with possible health benefits. Increasing vitamins and minerals with other nutrients. It will also boost your creativity. I recently worked on a project to create highly nutritious, macro friendly, calorie dense snacks for someone wanting to increase their body mass and strength. Almost the opposite of my normal recipe design remit.
10. When you bake something yourself you are more likely to savour each mouthful and less likely to mindlessly munch or emotionally eat, which can lead to unwanted weight gain. You can control your portion sizes as we have a tendency to over consume, especially when eating out. Baking at home can utilise alternatives to fat and to cane sugar. Also common food allergies include nuts, gluten and dairy. All of my recipes unless stated are multi allergy friendly. Some of my favourite flours are made by Spiffing flours they have a fabulous mix of ancient grains, sprouted grains and different types of flours to try.
11. If you are concerned about cleanliness, cooking at home can ensure your environment is as clean as you require. If you are concerned about waste and the environment, you can reduce waste and ensure all the ingredients are utilised. Which not only gives you peace of mind, it can also save you money as well. Cooking at home can be cost effective too. Saving money will improve your finances and cut down the stress levels that money worries can create.
