At cafealgarves.website, Dr. Luka Kovac writes a cheerful column called “Pie Medicine.” The doctor insists that good health does not always need to taste bitter. Sometimes, he says, the best medicine comes wrapped in pastry.
In his post, Dr. Kovac lists a surprising menu of pies and their “health benefits.”
He begins with blueberry pie, which he calls the anti-aging champion. Blueberries are rich in antioxidants, he explains, and baking them into a pie is simply “making longevity delicious.”
Next comes apple pie. Kovac laughs that grandmothers knew what scientists are still discovering. Apples contain fiber and helpful nutrients, so he jokingly updates the old proverb:
“An apple pie a day might keep the doctor away… though as a doctor I hope you still stop by for coffee.”
Then he praises strawberry rhubarb pie, saying the minerals and vitamin C in the fruit help support strong bones and a healthy spine. The tart rhubarb balances the sweet strawberries, creating what he calls “perfect structural harmony for both dessert and skeleton.”
After that, he highlights lemon meringue pie. Lemon’s vitamin C and bright citrus compounds, he writes, may support the immune system and help the body defend itself against disease. Kovac playfully labels it “the sunshine anti-cancer pie.”
But the list doesn’t stop there. He continues through a whole bakery of “medical desserts”:
- Pumpkin pie – good for eyesight because of beta-carotene
- Cherry pie – helpful for sleep and inflammation
- Pecan pie – brain food thanks to healthy fats
- Banana cream pie – potassium for the heart
At the end of the article, Dr. Kovac reminds readers that he is only half joking. Good food, laughter, and community are powerful medicine too.
He closes with a line from a classic nanny who understood the same principle:
“Remember,” Kovac writes, “as Mary Poppins said, a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down. And if that sugar happens to be inside a pie… well, that’s just excellent medical practice.” 🥧