Eating healthy
Eating healthy and delicious is a possible combination at any time of the year, and even more so these days. The good is not incompatible with the recommendable.
Many excesses
It is easy not to eat healthy during this time of the year, since, in addition to the «special days», there are many more days of excesses, as there are dinners with friends, company dinners and many more sweets and «cravings» at home.
Changes in habits
These changes in eating habits, schedules, reduced sleep hours, lack of exercise and abuse of certain foods are the main causes of health problems and imbalances at this time of the year.
Taking a little care
A healthy menu is compatible with this holiday season, there can be everything on the table, but what is most convenient should take precedence. Less fat, more vegetables, few sauces, more fish and less red meat. These are dates in which one feels more bloated, suffer bad digestion and stomach aches, but this can be avoided by taking a little care.
Always serve salads and vegetables
At any dinner or lunch it is advisable to start with salads to satiate and always accompany meat or fish with vegetables that occupy half of the plate.
Avoid fried foods
Always cook roasted rather than fried, the oven can be our best ally. If you want to accompany any dish with potatoes, these should always be roasted and not fried.
Dress with extra virgin olive oil.
Always dress with extra virgin olive oil, vinegar or lemon, avoiding the use of sauces, and if the dish requires it, make the sauce with yogurt.
Bread should always be wholemeal
Bread should always be wholemeal, you can put breads of different cereals to suit all tastes, they can be rye, spelt, oats, corn. Whole wheat bread provides fiber, is a source of B vitamins and minerals such as magnesium, selenium, iron, phosphorus and zinc. Bread has a place in Christmas menus as long as it is of good quality and in proportion, consuming it can help to satiate us and arrive with less hunger to dessert and, in this way, eat less «unhealthy» things.
Serve plenty of water
If we combine water with other less healthy beverages we will drink less alcohol, but we must try to avoid this because it is one of the biggest problems at this time of the year.
Eat typical, but healthy foods
You can also enjoy the typical foods of these dates, but healthy, such as shrimp, prawns or shrimp that have protein, few calories and are low in fat. Pumpkin is a good garnish as it is low in calories and fat and is a source of vitamin C and carotenoids. Turkey is low in fat and provides fewer calories than other types of meat because it is 75% water and is a source of minerals (such as zinc and selenium) and vitamins (such as B12). Salmon and tuna are a source of polyunsaturated fats. Consuming 250 mg of polyunsaturated fatty acids such as DHA and EPA is very good for health, as it promotes normal brain and heart function.
Nuts are the best allies
Nuts are our best allies at this time of the year as they can be used both in desserts and snacks. They are satiating and have a multitude of benefits, for example, nuts are a source of Omega-3 fatty acids, fiber, and essential nutrients such as vitamin B and minerals such as potassium, iron and phosphorus.
Putting attractive fruits in desserts
We should not abuse chocolates, nougats, marzipan and other Christmas sweets, instead we should put attractive fruits in desserts, much better for our health. For example, a cup of strawberries with yogurt accompanied by pure cocoa, Christmas cookies made of «quality and nutritious ingredients», a carrot cake with wholemeal flour, or a fruit smoothie.
How not to eat so much
There are a number of tricks to avoid eating so much, for example, use smaller plates and serve yourself several times, this limits the quantities more easily than if you use large plates. If there is a buffet, it is preferable to sit away from the plates and not to put the sweets too close to the buffet so that you have to get up to get them. Once we are satisfied, it is advisable to brush our teeth, if possible, immediately, to avoid being tempted again.
