People who love baking really love baking. For them, the perfect Saturday involves whipping together a cake; To them, a really awesome standing mixer represents the pinnacle of material possessions. For bakers, baking is more than a simple means to an end—it’s a way of life.

Whipping up treats in the kitchen can do more than just create yummy comfort food, according to a growing range of sources in both the culinary and mental health worlds. In fact, baking has been found to have therapeutic value which helps to ease depression and anxiety. And seeing that one in four people will experience a mental health problem at some point in their lives, this wholesome therapy is good for the whole family.

The feel of the flour, the sound of the blender, and of course the smell of the delectable final product – all these experiences stimulate the senses, which in turn increases feel-good endorphins. Any activity which takes your whole attention – especially if it's simple and repetitive – can have a calming, meditative quality. The process of weighing out butter and sugar, whisking eggs, beating and folding creates space in the mind, and eases negative thinking processes. So, it’s time to bake! Why not? These seven reasons will be compelling enough for you to start rolling that dough.

1. It’s creative.

Blending ingredients such as sugar, flour and eggs and turning them into an edible masterpiece never fails to awe and can make you feel proud of yourself. Ingredients can be mixed in so many different combinations to form different types of cakes, biscuits or pies. That’s the beauty of baking.

2. Therapeutic and relaxing.

Angry? Punch that dough, and make yourself a great loaf of bread. Upset? Bake a cake. It requires you to concentrate. You need exact measurements, no winging it. And in a while, that bad mood that plagued you, goes out of the window. A baking moment of Zen descends.

3. It brings joy.

Baking not only removes your bad moods, it brings joy. Nothing compares to the wonderful aroma of freshly baked bread or cakes wafting out from your oven in the morning. It immediately conjures the images of holidays, and childhood memories of licking the spoon and the baking bowl clean of cake batter.

4. Expression of love.

All mothers treasure the smiles of their children. This is true especially when you bake them your extra special chocolate chip cookies. You put in extra sprinkles on a cake, a little more icing sugar on the biscuits – a silent but meaningful gesture to express your love. And of course, you can always bake them their favourite cakes for their birthday.

5. Its personal, not store bought.

You can choose what to have for breakfast. You can make your own banana muffins. You can also create your own healthy multigrain breads. And the best part is, you know exactly what goes into your baked creations. If you’re gluten intolerant, there are many recipes you can follow and make your own gluten-free bread at home.

6. Baked goods make great gifts.

Instead of buying an impersonal present, turn up with your own beautifully decorated cakes and cookie creations at social gatherings. You’re telling them how much you care: ‘See I made this for you.’ The recipient will definitely be more touched by this type of gift. You are gifting them a piece of your heart.

7. Passion can turn into a good business.

You’ve mastered the art. You want to share it with the whole world. You can always take this passion and make it a full-time career. Many notable bakers started small time and developed a thriving business from it, so keeping on baking!