According to recent research we consume about 6000 calories on Christmas Day! So is your Christmas dinner healthy? It may not be as bad as you think, it has plenty of protein (turkey) and lots of vegetables. Just because you want to eat healthily doesn’t mean you have to miss out on anything.
Try my Christmas dinner tips:
Start with some smoked salmon rich in healthy fats. Add lemon juice and black pepper and some bitter salad leaves to stimulate digestion.
Swap vegetable oils for goose fat to roast your potatoes. Goose fat is stable at high temperatures and has been shown to lower cholesterol as it contains a combination of different fats including oleic acid.
Eat plenty of the dark turkey meat that is rich in zinc, B vitamins, iron and protein.
Use fantastic ingredients for your Christmas dinner, highlighted in my previous post – cranberries, chestnuts, Brussels sprouts etc.
Add a variety of colourful vegetables such as red cabbage, brussels sprouts, carrots, parsnips etc. Include fresh herbs and citrus zest to add flavour and phytonutrients.
Make home made cranberry sauce – add orange juice to sweeten and then you don’t have to add any additional sugar.
Make home made sage and onion stuffing – you can then leave out the bread crumbs and sausage meat and add fresh sage, chestnuts and cranberries.
Make a home made gluten-free Christmas pudding – full of dried fruit such as figs, prunes, apricots and nuts. Add cinnamon, mace and ginger to flavour and the fruits will add natural sugars.
Add goat and sheep’s cheese to the cheeseboard for variety and have with nutrient rich oat cakes, walnuts and red grapes.
Make your own festive chocolates using dried fruit and dark chocolate or raw cacao which is a good source of magnesium and supports cardiovascular health!
And most of all relax and enjoy this very special meal!
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