Cake is a fact of life, a prominent player in so many of our most important milestones and celebrations. Of course there is Christmas cake; and birthday cake, coffee-with-a-friend cake, christening cake, wedding cake, and party-at-the-office cake.
A University of Chester study in the International Journal Of Workplace Health found that 87 percent of people are offered cake at work at least once a week and 68 percent find it difficult to resist.
And that’s the problem — because as much as cake features prominently in many social events, it’s one of those foods that makes us feel bad about eating. It’s probably high on the “foods to avoid” list for many New Year’s resolutions.
Like everyone else, I love a bit of cake, but with its sugar and saturated fat content, it packs quite a punch, so there’s certainly reason not to overdo it.
Cake is a fact of life, a prominent player in so many of our most important milestones and celebrations, writes Dr. Megan Rossi (pictured).
But if you always feel guilty about eating it, it can trigger problems.
Research shows that people who consider a certain food a “forbidden fruit” get more cravings for it.
And the more you try to suppress that desire, the harder it is to resist.
For example, a University of Canterbury study published in the journal Appetite found that people who associated chocolate cake with feelings of guilt reported lower levels of behavioral control over their eating and were less successful at maintaining a healthy weight to last an 18-month period, compared to those who associated chocolate cake with celebration.
This also happens in the clinic. I often see women in particular who have spent their lives not giving in to their cravings for food like cake, but eventually the floodgates of craving open. You just can’t stop and overdo it.
So there are benefits to encouraging a can-have attitude about cake — and you can make a sugary treat like this less taboo. It’s easier than you might think.
Of course there is Christmas cake; and birthday cake, coffee-with-a-friend cake, christening cake, wedding cake, and party-at-the-office cake
Let’s look at the homemade cake first. Don’t stick with the same combination of flour, fat, and sugar: the secret is to cut back on the low-nutrient ingredients and use more of the ones that give your gut microbes something to celebrate, but don’t take away from the joy of the cake either.
My favorite baking swaps involve using ground almonds instead of flour; or half flour, half almonds. This adds fiber, which lowers blood sugar spikes that you would otherwise have with white flour. If you don’t feel like ground almonds, use wholemeal flour. Another quick fiber booster is to swap out one-third of the flour for oats. I also top up the recipe with a cup of shredded veggies like carrots or zucchini, which add sweetness and moisture, as well as fiber and other micronutrients (see my Zucchini Loafcake recipe, right).
You can sweeten dates, banana or apple puree without table sugar. While sugar is sugar, whole fruits have it packed with fiber, which slows the release of the sugar while also regulating your appetite hormones, keeping you fuller for longer. Whole fruits also contain plant chemicals, including polyphenols, which are powerful antioxidants.
According to a poll earlier this year, cheesecake is the nation’s favorite cake. A quick and easy way to up the nutrient profile is to swap out the cream for Greek yogurt and ricotta cheese to reduce the saturated fat (you’ll be getting this recipe in a couple of weeks).
As for the store, fruitcake is probably a better choice than, say, carrot cake. Fruitcake tends to provide a lot more fiber, while carrot cake comes with a thick layer of overly rich icing and little real carrot.
Before you buy a cake, scan the ingredients and choose the ones with healthier-sounding ingredients — whole wheat flour, oatmeal, dates, cinnamon.
Avoid those with lists that sound like the contents of a chemistry lab or are garishly colored, as this may mean your cake contains potentially gut microbe-disrupting additives.
And opt for plain cake over ice cream. Frosting is usually made from pure sugar and butter or cream, and tends to contain more fat and sugar than the cake itself.
In fact, the icing can contain twice the calories of the cake, and one tablespoon can provide more than three teaspoons of sugar. This is likely to cause blood sugar levels to rise rapidly, which can make you feel hungry (and even crabby) soon after.
So when you’re served a slice with an overwhelming supply of frosting, don’t feel obligated to eat it all.
A glazing alternative is to use a thick yogurt instead of cream or butter.
Did you know already?
Avocado can increase your body’s absorption of carotenoids, which have powerful antioxidant effects (carotenoids are found in red, bright yellow, and orange plants like bell peppers and carrots). They’re also high in fiber: a medium-sized avocado provides about a third of your daily needs.
This protein boost slows the rate at which sugar is absorbed and makes it more filling, helping to curb cravings for a second slice.
To be clear, I’m not suggesting eating cake every day is a great idea—but a celebratory piece, whether weekly or monthly, is perfectly acceptable.
So here are my best baking swaps that will help you have your cake and eat it too:
Fats: Substitute olive oil in a 1:1 ratio for butter, or substitute thick, full-fat Greek yogurt for half the butter to reduce saturated fat intake.
Brownies: Replace a third of the flour with cooked black beans (I use cans) that are rinsed and drained to add fiber and polyphenols — when these break down in the gut, it creates chemicals thought to protect against disease, even cancer, protect.
Cheesecake: Replace half the cream (1:1) with thick, full-fat Greek yogurt to add protein and other beneficial compounds created when the bacteria ferment milk into yogurt.
Chocolate Cake: Substitute an equal amount of silken tofu (mashed) for half the oil or butter, which adds a filling hit of protein as well as hormone-balancing phytoestrogens, vitamins, and minerals.
Sweetness: Swap 1/2 cup sugar for eight Medjool dates (mixed with 1/3 cup boiling water) — your gut microbes will rejoice in the fiber.
Or use three ripe bananas instead of 1/2 cup sugar and 1/2 cup oil or butter — bananas are another favorite with gut microbes, and they also provide fiber and potassium (to help regulate your blood pressure).
Ask Megan
I have been unwell for a number of years. I’ve had many medical tests but nothing came up – until recently when I was diagnosed with bile acid malabsorption. Nobody has explained what that really means. I also have a white tongue – is this related?
Maria Majcherczyk.
Bile Acid Malabsorption (BAM) causes chronic diarrhea – it’s estimated to affect about 1 in 100 people, so you’re certainly not alone.
Bile acid is released from your gallbladder into the small intestine to help absorb fat. But some people have an inflamed small intestine, which means their body can’t recycle bile acid after it’s done its job. Others develop BAM after their gallbladder is removed and the bile acid finds its way into the gut even when it’s not needed, overwhelming the gut’s ability to handle it. There’s also “primary” bile acid diarrhea, where your body simply produces too much bile acid.
The good news is that most people with BAM lead happy and healthy lives; it doesn’t necessarily mean your health is declining.
There is currently no cure for the condition, but medication and controlling the amount of fat you eat are the best ways to treat it.
Although BAM doesn’t directly cause white tongue, it can cause dehydration, which can make white tongue worse. Once your diarrhea has subsided and you brush your tongue twice a day with a soft-bristled toothbrush, you may find that it becomes less noticeable.
Contact dr. Megan Rossi
Email [email protected] or write to Good Health, Chron, 9 Derry Street, London, W8 5HY – please include your contact details. dr Megan Rossi cannot maintain personal correspondence. The answers should be viewed in a general context; Always consult your GP if you have any health concerns.
Try this: Lemon Zucchini Loafcakes
This recipe is the gut-loving way to satisfy pie cravings. It provides extra fiber from the greens and healthy fats from the almonds, as well as prebiotics (to feed your good gut bacteria) from the dates – your gut microbes will be asking for seconds.
Served 12
- 7 Medjool dates (pitted) or 1/3 cup honey
- 2 eggs
- ½ cup olive oil
- ½ tsp ground cardamom
- zest of 1 lemon
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup grated zucchini
- 190 g ground almonds
- 1 teaspoon Baking powder
- pinch of salt
If using dates as a sweetener, combine the dates and 1/2 cup of boiling water — add more water until a smooth paste forms.
In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs and olive oil until well combined and creamy. Stir in your sweetener of choice, cardamom, lemon zest, and vanilla extract.
Once mixed, stir in the grated zucchini, add the ground almonds, baking powder and salt.
Pour the mixture into a greased or lined loaf tin and bake at 180°C/160°C fan/gas 4 for about 35 minutes.
Check if the bread is cooked through by inserting a clean knife. Let cool before serving.
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