Sweets: questions and Band 8 answers

Yes, definitely, though I try not to overdo it these days. I've always had a bit of a sweet tooth, so having a small treat like a piece of dark chocolate or some chewy sweets after dinner is a lovely way to unwind in the evening.

I'm quite keen on fruit-flavoured boiled sweets, especially traditional ones like rhubarb and custard or lemon drops. They last quite a long time, so you can just savour them slowly while working, which stops me from constantly snacking on heavier baked goods.

Oh, heaps of them! Whenever I got my pocket money on Saturdays, I'd rush straight down to the local corner shop and buy a paper bag filled with penny sweets, like cola bottles and jelly babies. My parents constantly warned me about tooth decay, but I rarely listened.

Immensely so, especially during traditional festivals and family celebrations. People often gift boxes of confectionery or homemade sugary pastries to their neighbours and relatives. You'll find confectionery stalls on almost every high street, packed with customers queuing up around the holidays.

Almost certainly fewer, to be honest. As I'm getting older, I'm trying to be much more mindful of my health and sugar intake. I'll probably cut back on sugary snacks and replace them with dried fruit or nuts instead.