Christmas is about family parties and hundreds of extra calories. These few days of forgetfulness can cause not only weight gain, but also indigestion and stomach trouble. Eat Christmas delicacies so as not to harm yourself.
Christmasis a time of family gatherings at a lavishly set table. These days,traditional, hard-to-digest, caloric dishesreign. Once a year you can afford a little more, but even then the diet should be fully rational and rich in all nutrients. It is up to you whether you will succumb to the festive gluttony or whether you will feel guilty about savoring the variousdishesthat appear on your table once a year. Moderation and prudence can protect Christmas gourmands from gastric problems.
Necessary Christmas prudence and moderation in eating
When you imagine the flavors and aromas of the dishes served onholidays , you wait for them all year round. You can then easily forget about the stomach's control and capacity. Then you suffer fromindigestionor stomach pain.
- During holidays you consume an average of 5-6 thousand calories a day, which is at least twice the daily requirement (approx. 2.5 thousand calories). The traditional Christmas Eve supper, although fasting, is a powerful caloric bomb. Most people then forget about rational nutrition - says Beata Smulska, a dietitian from LIM Medical Center.
Overeating is the most common Christmas mistake
A mistake we commit almost every year. Seeing the table in front of you bending under the weight of delicious food - it's hard to resist the temptation to try everything. However, there are a few golden rules to keep the holiday season safe for your stomach. - Use small portions, enjoy the new flavors, do not overeat. Thanks to this, you will be able to try many dishes in small amounts instead of filling your fill with one dish - Beata Smulska explains. What else can you do? - Food should be an addition to the family ceremony, which is feasting. It should complete the conversation at the Christmas table. It is important to cultivate a happy atmosphere. This may seem irrelevant to the festive dishes, however, it has been proven that the mood, inwhich you sit down to Christmas Eve dinner has a huge impact on the metabolism. The importance of a meal consumed in a friendly atmosphere, accompanied by positive emotions, conversation and laughter, is often underestimated. In such a situation, the digestion and assimilation process is much better - he adds.
It's worth going for a walk
Movement is the greatest ally of weight management. Do not spend all your free time sitting, e.g. in front of the TV or at the table. After all, you can find a moment for joint activity. Even a half-hour walk, integrating the family, and at the same time favoring a better digestion of eaten meals, affects the better mental and physical well-being.
- Remember that dieting on Christmas Eve will have no effect. Food habits are formed throughout the year, and holidays are not the right time to starve the body. The more that the Christmas Eve menu, devoid of animal fats from meat products, is extremely he althy. Also appreciate the power of dried compote, which, although it is not a light drink (a glass is about 100 calories anyway) - supports digestion and stimulates the intestines, explains Beata Smulska.
Take your time - you will eat less
If you want to reduce the number of calories consumed during the holidays, it is best to cut down on bread or avoid carbohydrates such as french fries, potatoes, pasta, rice and porridge. Eat only salads and salads (preferably without fatty and high-calorie sauces and mayonnaise and only with natural yoghurt or olive oil), low-calorie mushrooms and other marinated products and meats (preferably not fried, only baked, in a light sauce), meats and fish
Remember the old rule that each meal should be eaten slowly, so that about 20 minutes after starting a meal, the hypothalamus (the center in the brain responsible for the feeling of hunger and satiety) can send a signal to the stomach that it is full, so that glucose has arrived.
How many calories do Christmas treats have?
Choose foods that contain reduced-fat, boiled, stewed or baked foods. - Soups are he althy and low in calories. Mushroom soup is about 150 calories in one plate, borscht with dumplings - 100 calories. In turn, it is recommended to eat kutia in a moderate amount, each of its ingredients - wheat, poppy seeds, honey, raisins, nuts, almonds and figs - is high in calories (a total of about 250 kcal per 100 g) - adds Beata Smulska.
Christmas cakes with poppy seeds, honey and dried fruits are very sweet and high-calorie. Yeast dough is 140 calories in one piece, poppy seed cake is 400 calories. We do not have to, of course, completelyto give up these Christmas delights. You can eat a piece of poppy seed cake, gingerbread or a few cookies with dried fruits, but remember that fruit is also great for snacking between main meals - apples, oranges, tangerines, and grapefruits are especially popular in our homes. They are not only low in calories, but also provide vitamins and minerals, and the fiber and acids contained in them facilitate digestion.
Herbs will help you overeat
- If, unfortunately, you overeat, you can alleviate your digestive ailments by drinking an infusion of herbs, e.g. mint, fennel, caraway or red tea. However, it should be brewed at about 95 degrees, then it does not lose its he alth properties. The beetroot broth, i.e. red borscht, is also reliable. The one made with sourdough works the most effectively - advises Beata Smulska.