How to deal with Christmas excesses

Christmas is associated with communication, hugs, lights, joy… and food! It is a month of gatherings, culminating in Christmas Eve and Christmas at well-laid tables. Temptations begin with snacks and end with sweets. Bolo-rei, French toast, donuts, appetizers and a range of delicious delicacies that can also be high in calories. If the scales do not forgive, then health too. With a few adjustments, celebrating in a more balanced way without gaining weight or abandoning our table traditions may be easier than you think.

On Christmas, health also feeds

In times of living together and reuniting with the family, avoiding overeating is far from an impossible mission. Continuing their collaborative efforts, CUF and Pingo Doce are serious about their commitment to bringing the Portuguese to a balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle. And Christmas is no exception.

FROM small changes in recipes and balanced options, without sacrificing taste and without dietary sloppiness that can pose a certain health risk, the tradition has remained the same, but now with a healthier Christmas table. And the New Year holidays continue The most beautiful time of the year🇧🇷

What can be changed in traditional recipes?

First it was soup. Starting the Christmas meal with soup rich in vegetables, to which legumes (cereals, lentils, peas) can be added, contributes to a longer satiety associated with a low energy value compared to other snacks.

Christmas without cod is not Christmas. Boiled or fried, season them with olive oil, a source of vitamin E and antioxidants, to enhance the taste of the dish.

Peru, guest of honor. Whether it’s turkey or goat, try not to add too much fat during cooking and remove visible fat from the meat. Choose olive oil as your fat source and season it with herbs and spices to reduce your salt intake.

getting something Turkey breast stuffed with couscous (Good Taste 70, p. 52)

Make a dish with vegetablesto increase fiber content and reduce energy and fat intake. If the Christmas dish is cod, overdo it with turnip greens and boiled cabbage.

Reinvent French toast. Cook them in the oven with thin slices of bread, use more egg whites than egg yolks, semi-skimmed milk and honey for sweetening.

Dreaming about dreams? Double them in size because fewer absorb more fat. You can bake the dough in the oven.

Azevias in your fashion. Swap the traditional rye gila for rye chickpeas or oven baked sweet potatoes.

Fantastic duet: vermicelli and rice pudding. Cook them in skim milk. Reduce the amount of sugar and serve in small portions in separate bowls.

Bolo-rei, king of the party. You can omit most of the candied fruits or try bolo rainha. If you do, replace the butter with vegetable cream.

Can’t do without a Christmas magazine? Use dark chocolate.

getting something Fried cabbage with lentils (Good Taste 69, p. 26)

Dried or oilseed fruits. Fiber-rich walnuts, almonds, hazelnuts, or pine nuts (no salt added) are welcome to the table.

Figs, prunes, raisins, dried apricots, consumed in moderation, can be a good alternative to sweets and snacks. Although they have sugar, they are high in fiber and low in salt and fat.

Colorful fruit salad on the Christmas table. In addition to being rich in nutrients, the fiber and water in fruits help reduce sugar cravings.

Water, always. Plain or flavored to limit the consumption of soft drinks, juices and alcoholic beverages. A beautiful jug on the table is half the battle in drinking plenty of water throughout the day.

Tricks that (also) matter

🇧🇷 Start Christmas Eve and Day with a healthy and balanced breakfast. This will help you feel full and avoid less recommended options.

🇧🇷 Choose simple cooking recipes in other dishes such as boiled, stewed and grilled instead of fried.

🇧🇷 Choose fresh bread made with just four ingredients (water, flour, yeast and salt) to crackers, snacks and other snacks. It has fewer calories and fat.

🇧🇷 Do you really want to leave the table set all week? When the eyes do not see, the mouth eats less.

Move this Christmas for your health

Practicing exercise not only helps you burn off calories, it also helps control your appetite and avoid fluid retention. Going to the gym or walking is always a good option. To start training alone or with the family, Marco Moutinho, sporting director of Jerónimo Martins, has prepared Special advent calendar filled with daily challenges, under the heading Good shape. Are you up to the challenge? Reade set Go🇧🇷

This Christmas, add health to the pleasure of the table. And happy holidays.