Today we will see that it is possible to prepare healthy homemade biscuits, delicious, fragrant and useful for combating inflammation, free radical damage and even viruses. We are talking about gingerbread biscuits that, with a few small variations, can become light biscuits, without butter, healthy and delicious for everyone, adults and children, for mouth-watering snacks or breakfasts.
Christmas is coming and what is more beautiful than being with your dearest loved ones? Perhaps drinking a cup of green tea and munching on gingerbread biscuits, which, with their aromas, make this period even more magical. Stop! We can already hear someone making noise… but biscuits make you fat… they are not healthy… And what if we told you that there are several scientific studies dedicated precisely to gingerbread cookies, demonstrating that even these delicacies can become a moment dedicated to health? Well, that’s exactly the case, so get your ingredients, oven and apron ready, but first, here’s what the science says.
Anti-aging, antiviral and anti-inflammatory gingerbread cookies
The first research we are talking about was published a few months ago in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences by a Polish team (Topka et al, Int J Mol Sci, 2023). The study shows how gingerbread biscuits can become precious health allies thanks to the spices they contain. In fact, gingerbread biscuits are a concentrate of spices useful for protecting health and preventing and combating cardiovascular diseases, hypertension, diabetes, heart attack, cataracts, macular degeneration, cognitive impairment, cellular degeneration and inflammation, in short, all problems that can result as age progresses and inflammation and free radicals accumulate in the body. The spices not to be skimped on in the preparation of our gingerbread biscuits are cinnamon, ginger, cloves, nutmeg and coriander. Not only that, as the study indicates, gingerbread cookies are often covered in dark chocolate, which is a source of flavanols with antioxidant properties. But that’s not all, the article shows that the addition of two ingredients can increase the taste, texture and health properties of gingerbread biscuits in a very interesting way, namely elderflower powder and elderberry juice. The latter can be used both as a liquid ingredient in the dough and as an ingredient in a delicious filling, together with apple puree. Well, elderberry has significantly increased, up to 60%, the quantity of antioxidant substances with anti-aging, anti-inflammatory and even antiviral action! In short, it is worth trying also because, as research states, the biscuits obtained in this way are also tastier…
Gingerbread biscuits, how to reduce acrylamide
The second research was published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry by a team of Swiss scientists (Amrein et al, J Agric Food Chem, 2004). The study aimed to thoroughly analyze a topic of great importance, namely the formation of acrylamide, a toxic substance, in baked products, in this particular case in gingerbread biscuits. Also in this case acrylamide is formed but, and here we must thank the research, we have small tricks at our disposal to significantly reduce this harmful substance. And we can then apply these tips without problems when we make other biscuits or baked products. First, the more you bake gingerbread cookies, the darker they become and the more they form acrylamide.
Therefore, a good choice is to avoid prolonged cooking times and settle for a biscuit with a golden color rather than a dark brown one. Not to mention that, to please the eye, it is possible to darken the biscuit with cocoa powder.
Then, the choice of a leavening agent is very important. Using baking soda as a leavening agent has been observed to reduce acrylamide by as much as 60%! To activate sodium bicarbonate as a leavening agent it is important to include acids, such as yogurt or lemon juice, in the preparation. In the latter case, even better, given that the addition of this juice, as well as orange juice, further reduces acrylamide.
Gingerbread biscuits, other advice
Good, healthy and anti-aging, that’s exactly what we should say when we talk about gingerbread biscuits. As we have seen, thanks to advice deriving from scientific studies, it is possible to make these biscuits even richer in antioxidants and significantly reduce the intake of acrylamide. Other small tricks to make gingerbread cookies even healthier are to use unrefined flour, whole cane sugar and, instead of butter, extra virgin olive oil and yogurt.
Gingerbread biscuits, the recipe
And here is a recipe for making delicious gingerbread biscuits, with an eye on health. Pour 250 grams of unrefined flour into a large bowl, you can use whole wheat or a blend of whole wheat and semi whole wheat flours, as you like. Add two level teaspoons of baking soda, 2 teaspoons of cinnamon, a pinch of cloves, a pinch of nutmeg, 2 teaspoons of powdered or grated ginger and mix to combine. Combine 60 grams of whole cane sugar, 1 tablespoon of yogurt, 100 ml elderberry juice and 45 ml of extra virgin olive oil. Work the mixture with your hands. Let it rest in the fridge for 30 minutes. Take the dough and roll it out with a rolling pin so that it reaches a thickness of about 1 centimeter. Cut out the pastry with the cutters, arrange the biscuits on a tray covered with baking paper. Cook in the oven at 180° C for 10 minutes. The extra note? Dip the biscuits in dark chocolate melted in a bain-marie, then leave to solidify on a grill.