Enjoy the festivities, just consider the consequences
Whilst the festive period is an exciting time filled with celebrations, smiles and lots of AMAZING food, it can be a tricky time of year for those who are trying to stay healthy and manage their weight.
Thanks to expert advice from our Splenda nutritionist Kiran Goraya, with a little forward planning and a few simple swaps, you can still have a delicious and enjoyable party season, without the guilt.
General tips for Festive Cooking
- Cut potatoes for roasting into large chunks as this reduces their surface area so they’ll absorb less fat. Try dry roasting the potatoes for a healthier choice.
- To make lower fat gravy, let the fat from the turkey juices rise to the surface, then skim it off and use what's left behind.
- Try making your favourite Christmas bakes, sauces and drinks with low calorie sweeteners such as Splenda. For example, mulled wine made using the sugar alternative Splenda, will save you the equivalent of 5 tablespoons of sugar and a whopping 225 Calories…or two chocolate digestives! (Per serve this equals a saving of 28 Calories - mulled wine recipe serves 8)!
- Make sure you find time to have breakfast everyday –it is an age-old piece of advice but one that is still ignored by many. A balanced breakfast will fill you up and you’ll be less likely to snack on the inevitable sweets and chocolates that are in abundance at this time of year!
- Alternate alcoholic drinks with sugar-free soft drinks or glasses of water to limit your alcohol and calories.
- Use smaller plates to help you keep your portion sizes in check.
- Get active – hit the dance floor at your Christmas Party and dance away up to 130 Calories for every 20 minutes of jiving!
- Get your 5-a-day. Christmas is a great opportunity to fill up on vegetables like Brussels sprouts, peas and carrots; as long as they are not covered in butter or any other fatty spreads, they are all low in calories and fat. Dried fruit is also a great alternative to sweets and chocolates and counts towards your 5-a-day– try dates, figs and apricots.
- It's usually all the little extra trimmings on the Christmas dinner that pile on the calories – try to grill your sausages and bacon, use a fruit based stuffing and make bread sauce with low fat milk.
Christmas Dinner:
“No one wants to miss out on all the tasty food at Christmas, but just a few simple swaps can make a huge difference; just take a look at the difference a few adjustments can make to the traditional Christmas dinner,” says Kiran.
|
Food |
Energy |
Alternative |
Energy |
|
2 slices of turkey with skin |
225 kcal |
2 slices turkey without skin |
175 kcal |
|
Average portion (80g) of sausage meat stuffing |
185 kcal |
Average portion chestnut and apricot stuffing |
100 kcal |
|
4 small roast potatoes |
400 kcal |
2 large roast potatoes |
300 kcal |
|
Traditional cranberry sauce made with sugar |
56 kcal |
Cranberry relish made with SPLENDA® |
16 kcal |
|
|
866 kcal |
Total Savings |
591 kcal |
Source: British Nutrition Foundation
Party Food:
When it comes to party nibbles and snacks, try making a few simple swaps to help you save on calories and fat; for example, you could:
- Swap a handful of salted peanuts for a handful of pretzels (saves around 70 Calories – the equivalent of one digestive biscuit!)
- Opt for chicken and turkey (e.g. marinated chicken skewers or satay sticks) or fish (e.g. sushi bites) rather than pastries like sausage rolls and tartlets that are high in fat.
- Swap bucks fizz for a white wine spritzer (saves around 30 Calories)
- Choose raw vegetables with dips. Try salsa rather than creamy dips (swapping two tablespoons can save you around 90 Calories)
Combine as many of these simple steps as you can and they will all add up to make a big difference. So the good news is, there is no need for a crash diet this party season, plan ahead and have some fun without the added pounds!
Tagged in Health Healthy eating