Home baked cakes are better for teeth.

Love it or hate it, The Great British Bake Off could be doing our health a favour. That’s because home baked is better for teeth.

In fact, the ever rising popularity of food shows could be a great benefit to our well-being in many ways. That is, if we spend some time in the kitchen, not just sitting on the sofa watching!

Is there anything wrong with shop bought?

Beautifully shaped and coloured, attractively packaged, easily available and hassle free, there’s a lot to be said for shop bought. However, these ready-made cake and biscuit goodies are tasty for all the wrong reasons.

I had expected the content of sugar in the shop bought cakes to be high. But looking at the nutritional information shocked me. Over half of the cake is sugar. Imagine that quantity of sugar as an ingredient in a cup of coffee! I had expected the main ingredient in the cake to be flour, but it’s sugar that comes first on the list.

There’s a lot in the media these days about how children’s teeth are damaged by sugar. Sugar in drinks, in breakfast cereals and in snacks. Dentists also see the impact on young adults’ teeth and the increase in gum disease.

This is why it’s really important for children to learn to brush their teeth regularly and go to the dentist. Even babies should be taken to the dentist before their first birthday. To promote great oral health for children, SpaDental Plymouth and SpaDental Whitchurch are holding Children’s Days this half-term. You can contact either practice to make an NHS appointment for your child.

Home baked cakes are better!

If we bake our own cakes we’re in control of what goes in, and what goes on top as decoration. At least we know the choice we’re making. In fact, the very act of measuring out the amount of sugar, deciding whether to use refined granulated sugar, or a different type of sugar, means we’re thinking about healthier options.

The trouble with sugar is that it sticks around.

• We need to help children to have healthier teeth.
• Sweet treats can be reduced.
• Tooth enamel can be protected.
• Children can be protected from developing type 2 diabetes.
• The increase in child obesity can be reversed.

And here’s five good reasons why home baked is good for the family, and our well-being too:

• Preparing food and eating together creates some of our best family memories.
• Time spent alone baking is relaxing because it’s methodical and needs focus.
• Your friends and family will appreciate the great taste as well as the trouble you’ve been to.
• Baking is a creative activity with an end product that, unlike a painting or piece of pottery, isn’t around long enough to clutter up your home.
• Bake and everyone is happy!

This is the week to get out the scales and baking trays.  It’s National Baking Week! There are lots of great recipes, including a gluten free chocolate torte that uses unrefined sugar and takes less than half an hour to prepare.

Home baked cakes!

Although we use sugar in baking, at least the quantity is in our own hands!

• Children’s dental health coordinators in Plymouth go back to school!

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