Fancy making some Healthy Date, Gogi and Cinnamon Bread?

Sue Bedford (MSc Nutritional Therapy)

Dates are a great fertility-friendly food because they are high in antioxidants. An antioxidant is any compound that can counteract unstable molecules called free radicals that damage DNA, cell membranes, and other parts of cells and have been shown to protect cells (including sperm and egg cells) and other structures in the body from the harmful effects of these free radicals. They have recently been discovered to aid in hormone regulation as well as gut and bone health.

Did you know? Dates are a great sugar substitute, have a long shelf life, and are simple to use in paste or as date sugar in baking. This simple-to-prepare Healthy Date and Cinnamon Bread is naturally sweetened with ripe dates and ground cinnamon. It’s simple and quick and can be frozen….why not make two!?  Great for healthy weekday snacks to pack in your lunchbox, for breakfast or as a post workout snack.

Goji berries (also known as Wolfberries) are becoming increasingly recognised as a great fertility-friendly food, due to being packed with antioxidants, as well as other beneficial fertility nutrients, including vitamin A and C, calcium, iron, amino acids, anthocyanin, carotenoids, and polysaccharides.

Cinnamon is a warming spice that helps to stabilise glucose and triglyceride levels in the blood. It acts as a fantastic antiseptic and a powerful antioxidant which also helps to reduce inflammation in the body.

Healthy Date, Gogi and Cinnamon Bread

Ingredients:

180g Wholemeal Plain flour

½ tsp Bicarb Soda

1 tsp Ground Cinnamon

120g Medjool Dates

100g Gogi Berries

120ml Milk (of your choice)

2 medium eggs

30ml of Olive Oil

How to make:

Set the oven to 180 degrees C/350 degrees F.

Add the flour, bicarbonate and ground cinnamon to a mixing bowl. Using a spoon, combine everything together.

Stir in the milk, eggs and olive oil. Add in the chopped dates and Gogi Berries.

Line a loaf tin with baking paper.

Add the cake batter and spread it evenly.

Bake for 30 minutes. Bring out of the oven and allow to cool. Remove from the tin and enjoy!