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To dunk or not to dunk? The best biscuit for a quick tea break

Researchers tested four varieties of biscuit to determine which was best for a time-poor nurse in need of refreshment during a busy shift

Researchers tested four varieties of biscuit to determine which was best for a time-poor nurse in need of refreshment during a busy shift

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The cherished cuppa can be the holy grail of a nurse’s busy shift – if they are lucky enough to get time for one – and such a momentous occasion deserves a sweet treat.

But to dunk or not to dunk? That is the question. Do you risk your treat turning into a soggy mess, or do you steer clear of mixing the two altogether?

Luckily, researchers have looked at the science to determine which way the cookie crumbles.

Which will be the biscuit champion?

After witnessing how NHS staff avoided breaks because of constraints on their time, researchers at University Hospital of Wales (UHW) set out to identify the time required to achieve ‘a safe temperature for consumption of tea, and the best biscuit to pair with the tea on the basis of nutritional content, absorptive ability, crunchiness, and integrity after dunking’.

Working on the assumption that dunking may help tea cool faster, they assessed four varieties of round, non-chocolate biscuit.

And it was the humble Hobnob and its oaty nutritional goodness that was named the best dunking partner for a tea break, according to the study published in the British Medical Journal. In fact, you can dunk a Hobnob for up to 30 seconds before the sogginess kicks in, so that’s one tough cookie.

How long does it take to enjoy the perfect cuppa?

The study, carried out at the surgery department of UHW, saw the plain digestive ranked second, followed by the Highland shortie in third, and the rich tea biscuit in a stale last place.

Although the results varied, important findings included that it takes around 420 seconds (7 minutes) for a cup of tea to reach optimal drinking temperature at 61ºC with 30mL of semi-skimmed cow’s milk, and only 370 seconds (just over 6 minutes) with 40mL of milk.

Researchers suggest that NHS staff can easily enjoy a cup of tea with a biscuit in less than 10 minutes.

‘Making time for a cup of tea is an important daily ritual’

Though changes in staff morale and performance were not evaluated in this study, the researchers say enjoying a tea and biscuit should be encouraged among nurses.

‘Making time for a cup of tea is an important daily ritual, and it should be encouraged to help improve the mood and performance of healthcare workers,’ they said.

What’s more, the researchers say the joy of dunking a biscuit enhanced the tea break experience and could have an important place in team-building and connectedness between different colleagues.

To which we say: cheers to that!


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