Many holiday baked goods are high in sweeteners and saturated fats but low in nutrients. To celebrate the coming holidays with more healthful yet full-flavored alternatives, the American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR) has developed quick breads with tender, cake-like qualities that make them perfect for gift-giving as well as family meals.

“You don’t need fat-laden, high-calorie desserts to achieve the special, indulgent character we associate with holiday baking,” according to Melanie Polk, RD, AICR’s Director of Nutrition Education. “What makes baked goods truly special is their rich flavor and moist texture. Quick breads fill the bill and make great holiday treats to serve or give as gifts.”

Simple Tricks Make Healthful Holiday Quick Breads

The two main problems with many baked desserts, says Polk, are the saturated and trans fats, like the butter or shortening that most recipes call for, and large amounts of sugar or other sweeteners.

She points out that “luckily, with quick breads, canola oil works beautifully in place of less healthful fats and offers many benefits. High in monounsaturated fat, canola oil helps lower levels of total cholesterol while leaving ‘good’ cholesterol (HDL) undisturbed.

“In addition, most quick breads can be made with a somewhat reduced amount of sugar without sacrificing flavor or texture,” Polk says. She also suggests that quick breads are perfect candidates for ingredients like dried fruit, nuts and even some vegetables that are rich in natural sugars, like sweet potatoes and pumpkin, in order to create more complex flavor and texture. She points out that these ingredients are rich in powerful antioxidants and phytochemicals – protective substances found only in plant-based foods – that help protect against many types of cancers, heart disease and other chronic illnesses.

How Sweet It Is: “Minor” Ingredients Offer Major Health Benefits

Dried fruits – cranberries, apricots, dates, etc. — are popular ingredients for quick breads because they add natural sweetness and texture. They are rich in dietary fiber, vitamin C and flavonoids, a powerful group of phytochemicals that helps fight cancer and heart disease. Each fruit offers its own special combination of health-protective substances.

Cranberries, for example, are abundant in dietary fiber, vitamin C, and flavonoids, a powerful group of phytochemicals that helps fight cancer and heart disease. Scientists have also confirmed “old wives’ tales” that this fruit helps prevent urinary tract infections.

Flavorings derived from fruit can also offer special benefits. The oil in the peel of an orange – which, as “orange zest,” offers extra flavor – is the top source of limonene. A phytochemical that has demonstrated powerful anticancer effects in laboratory tests – among them, complete regression in mammary tumors – limonene is now being tested in human studies with cancer patients.

Vegetables high in natural sugars, especially sweet potatoes and pumpkins, provide a rich foundation to a quick bread. Sweet potatoes are packed with beta-carotene, a powerful antioxidant that has been linked to enhanced immunity and decreased risk of lung and oral cancers as well as cataracts. Pumpkins contain several different types of carotenoids and phenolic compounds, two broad groups of antioxidants.

Nuts, which are high in monounsaturated fats, are often used in baked goods for added textural interest and depth in flavor. Pecans, a holiday favorite, are rich in vitamin E and omega-3 fatty acids, which help protect against the negative effects of animal fat

that lead to cancer. Macadamia nuts, another favorite, can improve the ratio of “good” to “bad” cholesterol.

Homemade Quick Breads Make Easy, Heartfelt Gifts

Polk observes that “the personal touch of a home-baked holiday gift adds a special dimension for anyone lucky enough to receive it. Quick breads make easy, convenient gifts that are simple to gift wrap. And, from a nutritional point of view, many homemade quick breads can’t be beat.”

Polk also points out that young children love to help in the kitchen, which offers many pay-offs for parents. “Baking is a fun way to teach children how to plan and organize, plus the basics of food and nutrition. And research shows that children who learn to cook at a young age are more inclined to cook for themselves and be less dependent on convenience and fast foods.”

The intangible benefits of baking for holiday gifts shouldn’t be discounted either, says Polk. “Preparing quick breads isn’t complicated, but making them is very therapeutic. It gives you a sense of well-being and, while they bake, they fill your home with delectable aromas. If you’re making them for family or friends, that nurturing feeling is as much a gift to the cook as it is to the recipient.”

“Wrap your baked goods as elegantly as any other present,” she advises. “ You can use a decorative canister or wrap “as is,” first encasing each loaf in plastic wrap, then foil, before using gift paper and ribbon.”

…to be continued