Have your cake and eat it, too

Any Nadiyators in the crowd?

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IN a nutshell Pop quiz: Who appeared in the most-watched TV show of 2015, baked Queen Elizabeth II's 90th birthday cake, and has a legion of online fans called the "Nadiyators"? If you guessed Nadiya Hussain, give yourself a pat on the back! Today, you'll be hearing from the 2015 winner of "The Great British Bake Off" herself in an interview that covers her unorthodox rise to fame and don't-miss cooking tips. Some other stuff we have in store today includes: • new tech for organizing your life • how a fruit a day might keep depression at bay • other health stories you need Stay sharp, Ginger Wojcik Newsletter Editor, Healthline

Written by Ginger Wojcik October 7, 2022 • 5 min read

In 2015, 13 million people watched Nadiya Hussain win in the finale of "The Great British Bake Off." It was the most-watched TV show of the year. And Hussain's star was born. In the years since, she's written 17 books, including "Bake Me A Story," which was shortlisted for Children's Book of the Year, and starred in multiple television series. In 2017, she was named one of the U.K.'s 500 most influential people and made BBC News' 100 Women list. She was even commissioned to bake the cake for Queen Elizabeth II's 90th birthday party. We were lucky to snag some time with Hussain to learn more about her journey. Read our Q&A below for cooking tips and insights from this inspiring woman. Q: From winning "The Great British Bake Off" to writing children's books like "Today I'm Strong," you've got several food shows, books, and accomplishments under your belt. Where did your passions for food, cooking, and writing come from? A: My passion for food and cooking has definitely come from growing up in a home where cooking was always the focal point. My dad ran restaurants and my mum is an amazing cook, so that definitely stirred my enthusiasm and interest. Q: Can you tell us a bit about your journey and how you got to be where you are now? A: I have always cooked, but I started baking when I was 21. I learnt a lot from watching videos online and watching cookery shows. Q: Do you notice that eating different foods affects your health and the way you feel? If so, how? A: Drinking plenty of water and eating a handful of nuts are a daily must in our home. We like to make sure having a rainbow on the plate is something we strive for our evening meals. Q: What's your go-to healthy snack? And how do you make it? A: I love cashews. I like to mix them up with egg whites and a few of my favorite spices and bake till crisp and dry. Q: What are your three favorite ingredients to cook with? And why? A: Garlic for zing, lemon for sharpness, turmeric for color and smoky flavor. Q: What are your three favorite kitchen tricks? (These can be tricks for simplifying meal prep and cooking, fixes to common cooking mistakes, swaps that make meals healthier, etc.) A: Make double batches and freeze one half for another day. To peel garlic fast, add the cloves to boiling water for 1 minute, and they peel right off. Instead of using vegetable oil, I like to use olive oil as a healthier fat alternative.

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Weird Science Can a fruit a day keep depression at bay? In a development that's making parents everywhere say, "I told ya so," the amount of fruit you eat may be linked to your mental health. The new study, published in the British Journal of Nutrition, surveyed 428 people about their mental health and their fruit, vegetable, and savory food consumption. The results found that people who snacked on nutrient-rich fruit throughout the day had a more positive mental state and fewer symptoms of depression than people who snacked on nutrient-poor savory snacks. The savory food snackers had higher levels of anxiety and more mental lapses, such as forgetting why they went into a room, misplacing items, and blanking on names of acquaintances. More frequent mental lapses were associated with lower scores of mental well-being. The study didn't look into causality, so the authors stopped short of saying eating fruit will improve your mental well-being. But honestly, don't get us started on the benefits of eating fruit. It'll help you get your daily fiber dose. It'll satisfy a sweet tooth with a fraction of the sugar you'd get from a candy bar. It'll smooth out your bowels — OK, we said don't get us started!

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