An unexpected sweet dish actually hides a health superpower. A hint: it’s a typical Christmas dessert, but it’s not the log…
Between two Christmas carols and a hot chocolate, a dessert is a must. true champion of longevity and we really didn’t expect it. According to Top Healththe gingerbread is not only a royal and ancestral dish, it is above all surprising regarding its effects on the body. Behind its comforting sweetness, this dessert would be a precious ally for live better and maybe even longer.
A historic dessert with superpowers
At first glance, gingerbread mainly evokes cakes, shortbread or spicy drinks at Christmas markets. But its history is very old. It dates back to Greek Antiquity. As Hazel Flight, head of the Nutrition and Health program at Edge Hill University, recalls, “its oldest form dates back to ancient Greece, around 2400 BC, where it was a honey cake without ginger ». Then, it became a dish of nobility and then a popular sweet in the 17th century. It has crossed the centuries without losing a bit of its aura.
But, then, what makes it so unique ? It’s his cocktail of ingredients and spicesresponsible for essential nutrients. The ginger is the star of the recipe and we all know that it has many virtues, notably digestive propertiesbut also a potential to “reduce nausea, improve weight management, relieve arthritis or even alleviate menstrual symptoms”. Hazel Flight also specifies that it would help combat seasonal colds, flu and other winter joys.
A spice festival that feels good
In some recipes, we also find the molassesan ingredient rich in precious mineralsnotably from iron, calcium, magnesiumpotassium, phosphorus and vitamin B6. According to nutritionists, it helps to support the bone healthimprove hair health or even help with transit.
Then of course, the cinnamon ! It is omnipresent and adds its benefits and its antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory powers. Very rich in antioxidants, it could reduce the risk of metabolic diseases and participate in the regulation of blood pressure. We even find it studied for its anti-aging effects…
As for the nutmegit completes this already very interesting composition well, in supporting heart health and helping to reduce inflammation.
How to make it even better?
Only small downside: we cannot deny that the gingerbread also contains a lot of sugar. But there’s no need to feel guilty, because, as Hazel Flight points out, “there is no reason to feel guilty as there is concentrates beneficial elements ».
And if you really want control the recipe and boost its nutritional valuenothing beats homemade. For example, replacing wheat flour with almond flour increases the intake of healthy proteins. Use of coconut or olive oil instead of butter can reduce the impact on cholesterol.
And for those with a sweet tooth, add nuts, seeds or raisins provides fiber, magnesium and vitamin E. So, ready to enjoy gingerbread like never before this year?
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After more than ten years in the food industry as an editor, I continue to share what I love most through writing: cooking! Fascinated…
