The Christmas season is full of sweet and fatty temptations: cookies, mulled wine, goose with dumplings – lures that many find hard to resist. Before the holidays degenerate into unhealthy and waist-expanding gluttony, we have a few tips for you. Because Christmas can actually be very healthy if you choose high-quality foods and maintain healthy habits.
Eat slowly and with pleasure
When it comes to moderation in eating, it is recommended to drink a glass of water before meals, as this curbs the appetite. Another piece of advice is to eat slowly, since the feeling of fullness does not set in for 15 to 20 minutes. Those who lack this patience and ignore their body's signals may run the risk of eating uncontrollably. So: listen to yourself and your gut. Nutritionist and TV doctor Anne Fleck recommends chewing slowly. It's good for your figure and your well-being.
Drink consciously to prevent gluttony
Incidentally, the aperitif and the digestif often served after a festive meal have exactly the opposite effect: alcohol stimulates the appetite and also inhibits fat burning. It is better to drink a glass of hot mulled wine instead of strong punch or cocoa with whipped cream. It contains less high-proof alcohol or sugar. Of course, non-alcoholic drinks like fruit or spice teas are best. A very good alternative, which is also delicious and creamy, is a latte with spicy turmeric, the golden-yellow spice from South Asia.
Spicy turmeric latte for well-being
This all-round spice contains curcuminoids (curcumin) and is therefore full of healthy ingredients. A turmeric latte promotes well-being – the perfect hot drink for the Christmas days. Fragrant cinnamon and pungent ginger in tea also give the metabolism an extra boost.
Turmeric, as it is also called, provides the intense orange-yellow color of the curry spice and is very popular as an addition to cold and hot drinks like smoothies or spiced teas. That’s not all: the turmeric root also contains valuable bitter substances.
Tip: The absorption of the ingredients in the turmeric rhizome is improved by the simultaneous consumption of black pepper. The piperine it contains increases bioavailability, as does a little fat. When buying turmeric products, make sure they are enriched with piperine (black pepper). This makes turmeric more usable for the body.
Cookies instead of bursting
Dominosteine, speculoos, marzipan potatoes – the Christmas treats should not be left on the table all day; this helps avoid gluttony. Because every reach for these sweet Christmas treats has an impact on your blood sugar level. Fluctuations in blood sugar lead to feeling hungry sooner, even if you have already eaten plenty. Nutrition experts advise: your additional sugar account from sweets should not exceed 10 percent. However, there are healthy alternatives to classic Christmas cookies, for example with whole grain flour, less sugar, fat, and eggs. Wholesome snacks instead of heavy fare – that is the motto for the Christmas menu.
Healthy snacking instead of gluttony
At Christmas, chocolate is almost a staple food. Several myths surround this sweet treat: that it makes you happy, helps with concentration, and protects against illnesses. That chocolate makes you happy is clear. But science has been able to prove another property: it lowers blood pressure. However, it should have a cocoa content of at least 50 percent. The preparation is also crucial. Some processes filter out the beneficial ingredients from the chocolate, especially the polyphenols. You can tell their content by the bitterness of the taste – so it is better to reach for dark chocolate varieties. Above all, it should not be milk chocolate, as the calcium and proteins in milk prevent the body from absorbing the polyphenols.
Fruit and nuts
"Apple, nut, and almond kernel... are things pious children like to eat." This line from the famous Christmas poem by Theodor Storm could also have come from a modern-day nutrition expert. If you are craving sweets, reach for mandarins, baked apples, chestnuts, or walnuts more often, because fruit and nuts are among the healthiest foods at Christmas. Walnuts in particular contain many B vitamins, iron, potassium, and valuable omega-3 fatty acids. They are good for circulation, can prevent cardiovascular diseases, and support the metabolism. A handful of nuts a day is explicitly recommended, although you shouldn't overfill your hand, because 100 grams of walnuts have more than 600 kilocalories. It's best to crack them yourself. The manual labor with a nutcracker slows down your eating pace and prevents you from snacking on nuts in massive quantities. Furthermore, freshly cracked nuts contain more vitamins and nutrients.
Good fats instead of gluttony
Hardly a festive meal goes by without goose, duck, fish, or game. Most festive dishes, however, are quite fatty. But our organism needs the macronutrient fat to provide itself with energy. Fat produces hormones and also plays an important role in cell formation. However, there are good and bad fats, a veritable ranking of fats. At the top of the list as the best lipids are so-called unsaturated omega-3 fatty acids. We cannot produce them ourselves. At the very bottom are saturated fatty acids (and even worse, trans fats); they contribute to raising cholesterol levels and thus the risk of heart attack. Depending on the type of meat, the animals also have their position in the ranking. The healthiest lipids are contained in sea fish; they are rich in omega-3 fatty acids. Then comes poultry and game, at the end is beef, and at the very bottom is pork.
Christmas roast: Better to bake than to fry
When preparing Christmas dinner, it makes sense to consider a few preparation tips. For example, cook the roast in a roasting bag in the oven instead of using lots of butter or oil in a pan. And always cut off very thick layers of fat beforehand. This way, you can enjoy the Christmas goose without it turning into gluttony.
Daily walks
If you take a two-hour walk in the fresh air every day during the holidays, you do a lot for your intestinal activity and against Christmas weight gain. You burn between 200 and 300 kilocalories in an hour of walking. And it gets even better: according to studies, exercise is an appetite suppressant, making it an ally in the fight against Christmas gluttony! And if the air gets too heavy, a long holiday walk can help. It serves several purposes: the exercise keeps you fit and lifts your spirits. In the dark time of the year, the body lacks sufficient light exposure from sunlight, which can quickly lead to a vitamin D deficiency.
Take breaks
Even over the Christmas season, a couch potato won't become an active athlete. But even as a laid-back person, you can manage your calorie budget cleverly. For example: eat only half of your breakfast or lunch. Anyone who thinks it's best to fast during the day and feast in the evening is doing themselves no favors. That promotes uncontrolled, immoderate eating. That is why experts advise taking eating breaks of more than three hours between meals. You can then digest in peace and develop a feeling of hunger again.
Fiber against Christmas gluttony
Even at Christmas, it is important to consume fiber in sufficient quantities, preferably in the form of healthy snacks, muesli, or whole grain products. This prevents a rapid drop in blood sugar and stimulates bowel movement. In addition, whole grain bread, for example, is much more satiating than nutrient-poor white flour products, which prevents you from overindulging in the festive roast. Fiber curbs hunger pangs and is low in calories. It also boosts the metabolism and thus additionally supports calorie consumption.
Conclusion
You can do something about uncontrolled, immoderate eating during the Christmas holidays. Plan to get some exercise every day. It aids digestion and is good for your mood. Just try to be mindful while eating: chew slowly and with enjoyment. Choose alternatives to sweets: dark chocolate instead of milk chocolate, etc. The way you prepare your food can also play an important role in consuming fewer calories. Support your well-being with the bitter substances in turmeric, as well as fiber and good fats like omega-3 fatty acids from krill oil.
