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Gingerbread: The Healthy Holiday Treat
“An I had but one penny in the world, thou shouldest have it to buy gingerbread.”
William Shakespeare
The Sweet, Spiced History of Gingerbread
Gingerbread has always felt like one of those foods that carries a story with it — a scent that fills the air and transports you to another time. And truly, its history is ancient and enchanting.
The very first known gingerbread recipe dates all the way back to Greece in 2400 BC. From there, it traveled across Europe and Asia, gathering spices, stories, and traditions as it went, until gingerbread finally became the beloved holiday treat we know today.
And somewhere along the way, Queen Elizabeth I changed culinary history. She dreamed up the very first gingerbread men, crafting them to resemble the visiting dignitaries she wanted to impress. Can’t you picture her handing them out with a sly smile? Those little decorated biscuits became a sensation — and the rest is delicious history.
Here in America, gingerbread even touched the lives of our earliest leaders. George Washington ended up with an invoice for forty-nine pounds of cinnamon gingerbread (a very relatable problem, if you ask me). His mother, Mary Ball Washington, became famous for her gingerbread, serving it to the Marquis de Lafayette on his visit to Virginia. The recipe became so beloved it was called Gingerbread Lafayette and passed down through generations of the Washington family.
Food carries memory. Gingerbread carries centuries.
Ginger - Nature's Medicine
Ginger isn’t just warm and cozy — it’s wildly powerful.
I always have a big chunk of ginger root in my fridge and use it like crazy. When the holidays come around, ginger recipes, and especially gingerbread recipes, are a no-brainer. "Food as medicine" is the way that I live my life. Cultured foods are front and center, but there are many other things I turn to when we need extra help and one of the most important is ginger.
✨ High blood sugar [1]
✨ Muscle cramps [2]
✨ Nausea & motion sickness
✨ Asthma [3]
✨ Seasonal allergies & hay fever
✨ Inflammation & pain
Ginger has been shown to act as a natural anti-inflammatory — in some cases even stronger than ibuprofen. No wonder our bodies respond so well to it. If you'd like to read more, check out this post.
Healthy Blackstrap Molasses
That deep, rich color in gingerbread?
That comes from blackstrap molasses, which is just as healing as it is flavorful.
Blackstrap is the molasses you want — the third boil that concentrates all the minerals:
- Iron
- Calcium
- Magnesium
- Selenium
- Vitamin B6
It’s absorbed more slowly than most sweeteners, which helps keep blood sugar more steady — especially when paired with ginger’s natural benefits. This is one of the reasons gingerbread has remained such a comforting, grounding food through history.
When you combine ginger + blackstrap molasses + real food ingredients, the result is something your body actually recognizes and appreciates.
Christmas eBook and Mini Course!
I love knowing how food can benefit the cells of the body. Food is woven into who we are. I find it fascinating to learn the history of foods, and also how we can incorporate them into helping us be healthy and taste delicious!
Warm, spiced, and filled with joy — gingerbread truly is a gift to the body and the heart.
Check out my Gingerbread Recipes (Below)
Biotic Pro Members, get my Cultured Christmas eBook!
Also, don’t forget to check out my 🎄Holiday Microbiome Mini Course inside Biotic Pro. It’s the perfect gentle reset to help you feel amazing as we enter a new year.
Be happy, healthy, and filled with joy!
Listen To My Podcast
Gingerbread is one of those special recipes that has two of my favorite ingredients: ginger and blackstrap molasses. Loaded with vitamins and minerals it makes a really wonderful healthy treat. I have lots of recipes and listen and learn the history of gingerbread!
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