The sweets on ‘Great British Bake Off’ may be healthier than you think

[aum]

A new research study found that many of the ingredients commonly used in Christmas baking have positive health benefits

 

Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II cuts into a birthday cake baked by Nadiya Hussain, left, winner of the “Great British Bake Off,” during celebrations of her 90th birthday in Windsor, England on April 21, 2016.  John Stillwell, Associated Press

 

If you’ve been feeling guilty about overindulging during the holiday season, I have some good news: Many ingredients in baked goods actually offer positive nutritional benefits.

 

A humorous study published last week in the medical journal The BMJ examined holiday recipes from popular baking show “The Great British Bake Off” (known in the United States as “The Great British Baking Show”) and showed that ingredients like fruit and nuts can benefit your health. So if you’re concerned about health but enjoy Christmas desserts, “you can have your cake and eat it too.”

 

The study’s authors admitted it was all done for fun, but lead author Joshua Wallach, an assistant professor of epidemiology in the Rollins School of Public Health at Emory University in Atlanta, told CNN the science was sound.

 

“There are definitely silly components, but methodologically it’s still a rigorous study,” Wallach said.

 

What makes a recipe ‘healthy’?

Researchers examined 48 different Christmas recipes from “The Great British Bake Off” website and identified 17 overarching ingredient groups in those recipes. Of those ingredient groups, several were associated with a reduced risk of death or disease, including fruit, nuts and coffee.

 

However, several others were found to increase that risk, such as alcohol and sugar.

 

The study included several specific recipes as examples and pointed out which ones would be better to serve over the holidays, based on whether the ingredients were associated with negative health risks. For instance, the researchers found that the majority of ingredient groups in Prue Leith’s chocolate Yule log would contribute to negative health concerns.

 

“We are not convinced that this dessert adds to the ‘festive spirit’ because it would not be appropriate to ‘subtly lace’ a dessert that you serve to your family and friends with alcohol that increases your risk of developing liver cancer,” researchers wrote.

 

On the other hand, the majority of ingredient groups in Paul Hollywood’s stollen wreath were associated with health benefits, thanks to ingredients like almonds, milk and dried fruits.

 

“Overall, without the eggs, butter, and sugar, this dessert is essentially a fruit salad with nuts,” the authors joked. “Yum!”

 

So, are desserts good for you?

The study noted that desserts have been integral to Christmas celebrations since medieval times, when the Catholic Church declared that a pudding should be made in the weeks leading up to the holiday. However, those medieval puddings were very different and much healthier than the ones we enjoy today, as they were rich in fruits, nuts, whole grains and even meat.

 

The bottom line is that there are some ingredients found in baked goods today that are associated with reduced risk of disease and others that have been found to increase that risk. Essentially, there are both “good” and “bad” parts to most desserts, and Wallach said the most important takeaway from the study was to enjoy everything in moderation.

 

“Overall, we hoped to provide evidence that we need to have Christmas dessert and eat it too,” the study’s authors wrote. “Or at least, evidence that will inform our collective gluttony or guilt this Christmas holiday.”

 

Source