Baked Goods + Desserts
Healthy Gingerbread Cookies (Paleo Friendly)
By The KSW Team · December 15, 2020 · 3 min read
Baking gingerbread cookies is a classic tradition during the holiday season for my family. And I bet it is for you, too.
But if you’re trying to clear your skin, you may think that you have to avoid all desserts like the plague.
Wrong.
While you should avoid REFINED baked goods, you can still occasionally enjoy sweet treats that are made with healthier alternatives and no refined sugar like these gingerbread cookies. I always make sure my clients over in The Clear Skin Solution have lots of recipes like this one on their acne-clearing journey.
Why is Sugar Bad For My Skin?
Here’s a quick reminder on how refined sugar negatively affects your skin…
- Contributes to intestinal permeability (leaky gut)
- Promotes body-wide inflammation
- Inflammation triggers breakouts
- Spikes your insulin levels
- Higher insulin levels results in more acne
Healthy Gut = Healthy Skin
Now that we’ve got refined sugar out of the picture, let’s talk about gut health.
If you’ve been following me for some time now, you probably know that if you want to heal your skin, you have to heal your gut.
A 2018 study found that altered gut microbiome is a common thread among acne sufferers. The microbiome in your digestive system is made of up trillions of microorganisms and their genetic material. They play a key role in many body processes including helping to digest food and absorb nutrients.
An imbalance in your microbiome can impact leaky gut, and when this happens, both local and body-wide inflammation occurs. Inflammation impairs the protective function of the skin and reduces it’s integrity. Along with oxidative stress, inflammation is a big cause of acne.
How Can Ginger Help My Skin?
Your skin loves ginger because of its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, which combat the inflammation and oxidative stress that promotes acne.
Research also shows that ginger may support gut health because it can alter your gut microbiome.
Ginger has strong antimicrobial properties that can reduce the population of bad gut bacteria and increase beneficial gut bacteria.
Ginger contains exosome-like nanoparticles (ELNs), which are small extracellular vesicles with RNA. This can stimulate the expression of the cytokine IL-22 in colon mucus. IL-22 has been shown in other studies to promote tissue repair at the gut lining.
So let me say this again…the health of your gut = the health of your skin.
Now go kick off your holiday baking and try out these delicious cookies with that gut-healing ginger!
Ingredients
- 2 cups almond flour
- 1/4 cup coconut flour
- 1 tbsp ginger
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- Pinch nutmeg
- 1/2 cup coconut sugar
- 1/4 cup unpasteurized honey
- 1/3 cup ghee melted (sub coconut oil)
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp vanilla
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Combine the almond flour, coconut flour, and spices in a bowl. Mix until well combined.
- In a separate bowl, mix the coconut sugar, honey, ghee, egg and vanilla.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients. Mix well.
- Place cookie batter on the lined baking sheet and layer a second piece of parchment paper overtop (to prevent rolling pin from sticking).
- Use a rolling pin to flatten the cookie batter to about 1/2" thick.
- Place in the freezer for 30-60 minutes to harden.
- Use desired cookie cutters to make shapes.
- Bake in the oven for 10-12 minutes or until cookies are golden-brown.