Lamington

Food · Grain · Food, Typed Supps

A classic Australian sponge cake — enjoyable as an occasional treat, not as a source of much nutrition.

Stage by stage

Intake (Sponge structure softens): Chewing softens the sponge cake, chocolate icing and coconut coating.
Stomach (Starch & sugar digestion begins): Digestion of the flour, sugar and butter begins quickly.
Small intestine (Rapidly absorbed): Sugar absorbs quickly, producing a fairly fast rise in blood glucose.
Bloodstream (Used or stored as fat): Glucose beyond what’s needed for immediate energy is stored, mostly as fat.

Timing

Best treated as an occasional food; no meal timing changes its nutritional profile.

Time to effect

Under an hour: Blood glucose rises within roughly 30 to 60 minutes of eating.

Allergens

Contains: Gluten. Derived from what this food is, not from a product label.

Eating patterns

Fits: Vegan, Vegetarian, Pescatarian, Halal, Kosher. Depends on the product: Low-FODMAP.

Satiety

106 on the satiety index, where white bread is 100 — moderate. Modelled from the Holt et al. (1995) measurements.

Environmental footprint

1.6 kg CO2e and 648 litres of freshwater per kg, matched to "Wheat & rye" in Poore & Nemecek (2018), Science 360.

Cost band

Cheap — roughly £2.5 per kg, as a band midpoint rather than a price.

Key nutrients

Added sugar
Saturated fat

Nutrition per 100g

Calories: 294.7
Protein: 4.7g
Carbohydrate: 48g
of which sugars: 31.5g
Fat: 9.4g
of which saturated: 6.9g
Fibre: 2.4g
Sodium: 218mg

Food vs. supplement

Not applicable — a dessert cake valued for taste and tradition, not as a meaningful nutrient source.

Kitchen tip

Use day-old sponge cake rather than fresh — it holds together far better once dipped in icing and rolled in coconut.

Common myth

"The coconut coating makes it a bit healthier than an average cake." In reality: The coconut is a thin outer coating and contributes little to the overall nutrition — the sponge and chocolate icing, both largely sugar, set the profile.

In the glossary

Blood sugar