More nutritional tips to keep you healthy during the festive season:
– When preparing your Christmas dinner try not to overload plates with meat/plant based protein, aim to cover around a quarter of the plate leaving plenty of room to load up on a variety of vegetables, this will ensure you eat a nutritionally well-balanced meal that will keep you comfortably satieted and with lots of leftovers!
– Take your time when eating, try to eat mindfully; taking notice of what you’re eating and appreciating each bite, this will not only help reduce digestive issues such as bloating but also prevent over-eating.
– Enjoy eating a variety of nuts, there are so many fresh verieties available at this time of year and the benefits are well documented, a number of studies have shown that regular nut consumption can lead to lower risk of weight gain and cardiovascular disease, a study published this month looked at the effect of almond consumption on glycameic control for adults with pre-diabetes and showed although it had no sugnificant effect on glycaemia control the nut consumption led to improved diet quality with no additional weight gain (Huang et al., 2024)(another reason why calorie counting can be a poor weight management tool).
– Nutrition and physical activity are both vital in maintaining good health (Vuori, 2001), after eating a large meal over the holidays try to engage in some form of movement, this could be a walk, bike ride or run outdoors or a very simple activity such as washing dishes, a bit of cleaning or an impromptu dance to Michael Bublé, it’s all beneficial.
– Don’t be afraid to make use of convenience food if you need to, especially if you’re feeling anxious and lack time, frozen, pre-prepared or tinned fruit and vegetables for example are just as nutritious as fresh.
– Most importantly, try to relax and take pleasure in cooking and eating with your friends and family this holiday season, it’s a great time to try out new recipes and prepare meals together, bon appetite!
References
Huang, L. C., Henderson, G. C., & Mattes, R. D. (2024). Effects of daily almond consumption on glycaemia in adults with elevated risk for diabetes: a randomised controlled trial. Br J Nutr, 132(10), 1289-1299. https://doi.org/10.1017/s0007114524001053
Vuori, I. M. (2001). Health benefits of physical activity with special reference to interaction with diet. Public Health Nutr, 4(2b), 517-528. https://doi.org/10.1079/phn2001137
MLT Nutrition 