How Cake Boss stays healthy despite the sweet treats
Celebrity baker Buddy Valastro credits moderation for good health
Though surrounded by sweet treats all day, "Cake Boss" Buddy Valastro still manages to maintain a pretty clean bill of health.
In fact, when the Italian-American celebrity baker and star of reality TV series Cake Boss went for a routine medical check-up recently, he was told his blood was "better than the nurse's".
The 40-year-old owner of Carlo's Bakery in New Jersey, who takes medication for high cholesterol just like other family members because the condition is "genetic", told The New Paper: "Apart from cholesterol, I am fine with sugar. No diabetes, thank God."
The father of four was in town last week to promote the latest and ninth season of Cake Boss, which premieres on Nov 15 at 9pm on TLC (StarHub TV Ch 427 & Singtel TV Ch 254).
The show centres on Valastro and his crew of bakers, his family members and the various experts he meets along the way to create cakes he sometimes calls "engineering feats of genius" for customers.
With one of his responsibilities in the kitchen being taste-testing everything from the cake to its frosting, Valastro believes that the key to staying healthy in his line of work is careful "moderation".
He said: "I want people to be able to treat themselves, but I am not saying that eating a dozen donuts a day is going to keep the doctor away."
Last September, Valastro managed to lose 4kg by eating less, cutting out carbohydrates and sweet foods and doing more cardio exercises. He wanted to keep up with his wife, who he said has an hourglass figure.
The fourth-generation baker said: "A diet is hard for anyone, but the thing is, you put your pants on and realise it is time to lose 10 pounds.
"The problem is I always have to eat (something) sweet and sometimes I need to taste things, so I limit it to a small lick.I think the world is more aware now of diabetes and processed food and how that is bad for you."
NATURAL SWEETENERS
Valastro has been using natural sweeteners such as monk fruit and stevia for his recipes in a bid to make his creations healthier, but he admitted that "there is definitely a difference" in taste compared with using sugar.
Since taking over the business from his father, who died when Valastro was 17, he has made several health-conscious changes, including ensuring that there are no additives or chemicals in his cakes and swopping shortening for butter.
Still, he would rather not take health-related orders such as gluten-free cakes or cakes for diabetics.
He said: "We are not trying to segregate ourselves from the diabetic community, but I would rather give the business to someone who specialises in that and knows what they are doing, so they can give their best possible product."
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