Skip to main content

Baking and Mental Health



We are all familiar with the importance of eating well and exercising regularly to look after our physical health. Looking after our mental health is equally as important. Doing things you love is an excellent way to ensure that you feel as well as you can be. For some, that could be running, meditation or yoga but for me, baking brings so much joy.

Baking gives me a sense of achievement. It is incredibly satisfying seeing the final product and knowing that I created something that tastes good. Baking requires precision such as measuring ingredients and using a range of techniques. Last week, I made my first pavlova that wasn’t burnt on the outside and raw in the middle! I felt almost euphoric that I had finally mastered the skill of making meringues and it tasted fabulous!

Creativity you can eat! Having a creative outlet is hugely beneficial but that doesn’t mean you have to be artistic. Most of my cakes taste a lot better than they look! Some people do fabulous intricate designs but if that's not your thing, you can be proud that you created something tasty out of a bunch of raw ingredients.

Cake is comforting. On a horrible grey day, nothing lifts your mood like cracking open your trusty cookbooks and baking old favourites. While regular comfort eating is not the best dietary plan, it is fun to treat yourself and feel cosy with a slice of homemade cake instead of binging on preservative laden junk food.

Few things unite people like cake does! Bring a smile to someone by treating them to baked goods! I love baking for other people as it is a way for me to show I appreciate them. Baking encourages sharing, either by inviting friends around for a cuppa and a slice of something nice or by sharing the experience of a baking day with a friend. Whenever someone brings in cake to work, colleagues often take a quick break to have a natter over some cake. 

Baking is therapeutic. I asked many friends why they enjoy baking and they all said, they find it therapeutic. In this day and age, rushing about is the norm but baking is a wonderful way of taking time over something you love. It’s hard to hurry making a cake otherwise it will likely be burnt or raw! You have to concentrate to follow the recipe and baking encourages me to enjoy the aroma of cake in the oven, the feel of kneading bread and fully appreciate the taste. 

I hope all these reasons will inspire you to get back in the kitchen! This post was partly inspired by The Great British Bake Off winner, JohnWhaite’s article for Mind about how baking helped him during a period of depression. 1 in 4 people suffer from a mental illness at some point in their lives and even if you are not one of those people, everyone has mental health and baking can lift your spirits. Obviously, baking isn't a cure for mental illness but it certainly makes life a little sweeter which is no bad thing.
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Tea with a ghost? | Tiny Tim's Tearoom | Canterbury

Canterbury is such a historic city so I was looking for a traditional place for afternoon tea. Tiny Tim's Tearoom was the perfect place. Housed in a gorgeous 17th century building, this tearoom is particularly inviting with its baked goods displayed in the shop windows. Inside, Glen Miller was playing softly in the background, giving the place a nostalgic, vintage feel. Many British favourites were on offer, such as, crumpets, scones and hearty sponge cakes. I had an excellent coffee and walnut cake which had a wonderfully potent coffee flavour unlike many shop-bought ones. Served with a dollop of cream, ice cream or custard, these cakes are the ultimate comfort food. Tea is also in abundance. I tried Keemun Orchid which was a black tea that had notes of plum, orchid, sesame and pine. There are also more traditional blends for those who prefer more conventional tea. I attended this tearoom alone after a pleasant morning visiting Canterbury Cathedral. However, was I t
Post a Comment
Read more

The Apple Pie Map | Hirosaki, Aomori

Are you a fan of apple pie? If you are, then Hirosaki might just be the place for you! Hirosaki is in Aomori, a prefecture in the Tohoku region in the north of Japan. Aomori is famous for its delicious apples, and nowhere is this fruit more greatly celebrated than in the city of Hirosaki. There are over 50 shops in the town selling different types of apple pie. With so many options, it can seem overwhelming. How can you possibly find the perfect pie for you?! Well, the answer is simple. All you need is the Apple pie map !  Not only does the map tell you all the different locations for pie shops and bakeries, it also rates each pie on its sweetness, sourness and amount of cinnamon. My personal favourite is  スリーブリッヂ or Three Bridge, a cute little bakery near Hirosaki station. Their pie is rated 3/5 for sweetness and sourness. But don't take my word for it, head to Hirosaki and do your own research! There's plenty of pies to enjoy and beautiful sites in Hirosaki. Why
Post a Comment
Read more

Fried Chicken Parfait? | Karafuneya Coffee, Kyoto

We've been around the world and tried many strange ice creams, from the tomato flavoured ice cream of Nice to the salt ice cream of Dublin . However, nothing quite matches the crazy ice creams available at Karafuneya Coffee in Kyoto. As soon as you enter this lovely cafe in the Sanjo area of Kyoto, you are greeted by an enormous number of plastic models representing the amazing desserts. The best thing about Karafuneya is the sheer range of sundaes. We were equally thrilled by the classic chocolate and strawberry parfaits and the slightly more unusual Japanese flavours, such as macha and black sesame. There were even enormous sundaes (about 2 feet tall) that you can share with all your friends. However, the real eye catchers are the more outlandish ice cream combinations. We spotted a model for a French fries parfait, a deep fried chicken parfait and an American hot dog parfait. The models actually looked surprisingly delicious, but we weren't feeling too adventurous. So
Post a Comment
Read more