Healthize your Christmas : 10 Healthy Holiday Foods
Posted on November 26, 2007
Filed Under Nutrition, Health
A traditional Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner can have more than 2,000 calories ( on average). We often put our focus on what not to eat, but there are still many nutritional goodies in our traditional dinner that we should not ignore.
Here are just ten healthy holiday foods that you can set your sights on when the buffet table demands your attention:
- Roasted and fresh vegetables. Grazing on fresh vegetables is a great way to load
up your holiday plate with tasty and healthy food, and can prevent overeating over the course of the day. Roasted squash, carrots, and potatoes also offer some healthier options if you’re limited in choices. - Chocolate dipped strawberries. A great way to satisfy a sweet tooth at the gourmet dessert table, and you can count on dark chocolate for even more health-friendly eating
- Roast
- Pumpkin pie. Eating only the pumpkin portion of the pie by ignoring the crust will help you enjoy the rich pumpkin dessert without extra fat and calories. Most pumpkin pies are made with whole milk and cream in the batter, so it’s still an indulgence; however, you can bring your own low-fat version by using evaporated skim milk and egg whites instead.
- Potatoes: Whether mashed or in latkes, potatoes are good food. They contain loads of vitamin C and potassium, plus fiber, iron, copper and plenty of B vitamins. Boiling potatoes will destroy some of the vitamin C and dissolve some of the rest of it into the cooking water. To help preserve the vitamin C content, use some of the cooking water instead of milk or cream when mashing them.
- Oatmeal cookies. The healthiest of the bunch from the cookie platter, and also a heart-healthy choice when you need some more complex carbs in your diet. Avoid the oatmeal varieties that also contain extra chocolate an nuts if you want a low-calorie treat.
- Dressing-free salad. Servings of colorful salads work well to balance out your plate, and most buffet tables put the dressing on your side. Enjoy yours with a splash of red wine vinegar, balsamic dressing, or even just lemon juice to make it a healthy meal.
- Figgy Pudding: Figs help make the pudding a nutritional gold mine. They are a good source of potassium, calcium, magnesium and niacin, plus they have a natural laxative effect.
- Eggnog: Choose only the low-fat variety and enjoy a holiday tradition while getting a good amount of protein and some calcium. (Just be sure not to drink too much, since there’s still lots of sugar and calories in even the low-fat version.)
10. Dark chocolate. Small pieces of dark chocolate are rich with flavanols, the
ingredient that may help lower cholesterol. A couple of these per day are sure to put you in the holiday spirit and ward off intense chocolate cravings with ease.
Enjoying the holiday bounty without the guilt is possible with a little strategy. Take charge of your health this time and look forward to the New Year without the extra baggage!
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