By Sonal Garg Founder sweetretreatbysonal.com
Going beyond light and airy sponge cake which I love the most to relish with my loved ones, baking is an activity enjoyed by many, young and old. To me baking is like meditation; a daily dose of positivity which provides me joy and self-expression and to those who perform it. But do you believe when I tell you that as well as resulting in delicious baked goods to enjoy, baking also has many mental health benefits? Going further I want to enclose a few of them.
Strengthen Relationship
As baking calls for teamwork and communication, which can strengthen a relationship? Baking together can also be stress-relieving and an activity to unwind the stress of a busy week. With the aroma of freshly baked bread or pastries wafting through the air, it creates a calming and relaxing atmosphere.
Senses like smell are also heavily connected to memory. If you have strong positive memories or associations with baking—perhaps your grandmother made you cookies every time you visited, or your father used to make fresh bread on Saturdays—then these memories and their positive emotions can be triggered by the experience of baking.
Baking is a sensory experience
Beyond the delectable flavour of freshly baked cakes which delights your taste buds in every sense. As we move forward, we pay attention to the sensory aspects of the overall baking experience. Baking is a sweet retreat for every sense the delicate texture, vibrant color, and irresistible aroma combine to create a multisensory experience that is nothing short of enchanting.
With each bite, you'll find yourself transported to a world of pure bliss and culinary delight. These various textures, smells, and tastes involved in baking engage your senses, providing one a rich sensory experience that can be both soothing and stimulate mental well-being. This sensory stimulation can help you feel more present and connected to the moment.
Healthy Yeast Bombing
You need very little yeast to bake bread. Yeast is a living organism that doubles in population over and over, if you give it enough time and enough food. You can start with a tiny amount of yeast, some flour, water and a bit of salt and you will end up with delicious bread. Aside from adding to the taste and flavour of bread, cakes and other baked goods, yeast brings out the characteristic texture of a baked product due to the entrapped air pockets within the dough.
The Functions of Yeast In baked products is to increase the volume and improve the flavors, texture to grain, color, and overall quality of your bakes. Going beyond that yeast is not just an ingredient for baking; it also supplies nutritional benefits in our body. The yeast not only metabolizes sugar in the biochemical process, but it also supplies enzymes and protein to help perform these functions. These proteins are rich in nine essential amino acids, particularly glutamic acid.
When Relaxation comes in many forms
Some people may designate reading time after a long workday, play video games or master their latest culinary creation. According to the research, which was published in the Journal of Positive Psychology, found that people who take on small projects that are creative in nature just like baking on a regular basis tend to feel happier and more relaxed in their day-to-day lives.
For beginners baking provides an opportunity for creativity and self-expression, which research shows increases overall well-being. Baking is kind of a channel and a way to express oneself. It is also a form of meditation and mindfulness, which means it forces you to focus on the present task.
Increase your Confidence and Leadership
The process of preparing multiple ingredients, measuring everything out, and following a recipe and waiting to find the finished product, is even better can lead to improved self-confidence due to the sense of achievement, like that of achieving a goal!
Joining a baking community to connect with fellow baking enthusiasts or by joining local baking business club or online forum and sharing your experiences, challenges, and successes stories with others can help you stay motivated and provide valuable support as you wish to work and make baking a mindful practice.
In conclusion, the impact of cake making extends far beyond mere indulgence. Through teamwork, sensory engagement, nutritional benefits, and creative expression, baking enriches relationships, promotes mental well-being, and fosters relaxation. Joining a baking community further enhances the experience, making it a fulfilling journey for both body and soul.