The doctor talked about traditional Christmas dishes – some need to be carefully examined, and others are an excellent choice.

The Advent period, which began in December and continues through Christmas, used to be a time of concentration and reflection for all families. Christians at this time of year refrain from joy and on Fridays forgo meat, choosing fish dishes more often.

According to Rūta Petereit, a doctor of medicine and nutritionist, the Advent tradition can still be used today, especially during the quarantine, to create healthy eating habits, a variety of foods, to develop a new and healthy habit: choosing foods other than animal origin a few days a week. .

As the nutritionist points out, because of the quarantine, people visit supermarkets less often, so there is a great temptation to buy canned, processed and durable products. And due to such an easy choice, it is possible to consume more salt, various food additives, saturated fat, processed foods, which are not only more caloric, but also unhealthy.

“If these products form the basis of the diet, it can have negative consequences for health: weight gain at the expense of adipose tissue, as well as the promotion and maintenance of the chronic inflammatory process. It should be noted that quarantine significantly changes the possibilities for human physical activity, “said Dr. R. Petereit.

It is no news that we often go hungry or eat very little on Christmas Day, and in the evening, sitting at the table, we taste many dishes. But what could be the danger of such a late dinner?

According to the interlocutor, in the past, “dry” fasting was strictly observed, when people did not eat meat and dairy products, or were hungry until the evening. They thought that if they abstained, they would be happy, there would be harmony in the family, single girls would get married.

“I recommend not to go hungry on Christmas day, but to choose your usual diet, if we eat 3 or 4 times a day, then keep it that way. Our ancestors started eating the Christmas star on Christmas Eve. I recommend eating Christmas Eve around 6 in the afternoon so that we do not rush, we have time to talk about the work of the year, the worries and the joys. The most important thing to remember is that a late dinner can be detrimental to your health – gastrointestinal ailments can cause problems, hunger and satiety centers can be disrupted in the long run, and weight problems can occur, ”said Dr. R Petereit.

To prevent the big year holidays from being overshadowed by digestive issues, your dietitian has some tips:

– Think and plan carefully what dishes you will prepare;
– Choose the most natural foods possible and make your own dishes with them;
– To be fuller – do not forget to include foods rich in fiber and protein, as well as good fats for health, at Christmas dinner: fatty fish, olive oil, avocados.

Each family has its own traditions that guide the preparation of 12 dishes. However, there are some main dishes that must be on the traditional Christmas table. For example, red mix, herring, dumplings, kissel, black bread, mushrooms, nuts, or milk of poppy.

“The 12 plates at Christmas symbolize the 12 apostles, and according to the ancient pagan interpretation, 12 months. An essential symbol of Lithuanian Christmas Eve is the need to taste 12 dishes, which are traditionally placed on a white tablecloth, followed by hay. Christmas Eve meals are prepared without meat, and post-dinner meals are usually not removed from the table, they are left overnight for ghosts. Following the traditions, it is convenient to prepare 12 healthy dishes and put them in a little bit on a plate ”, advises Dr. R. Petereit.

A mixture of herring and red.

Christmas Eve dinner is probably unimaginable without herring. The latter is rich in high-quality protein, vitamin D, omega-3 fatty acids. However, in addition to omega-3 fatty acids, herring is rich in selenium, which also has antioxidants: it strengthens the immune system, reduces the negative effects of free radicals in the body.

The good news is that by ingesting 50 grams of quality Atlantic herring (a match the size of a 1.5 gram matchbox), we can supply the body with a daily dose of vitamin B12. The most important thing is to choose natural herring and pay attention to how it will be prepared. However, if we eat herring with a traditional red mixture that will contain mayonnaise, that dish will not be good for health.

One of the reasons, as the doctor says, why mayonnaise is bad for your health is the wrong fat in it. Because it rarely contains beneficial health products, according to the doctor, it is much more common to contain fats rich in omega-6 fatty acids. The higher the content of omega-6 fats, the greater the risk of various chronic diseases such as cardiovascular, diabetes, oncological diseases, etc.

“We consume too much omega-6, which changes the ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 in our body and develops a chronic inflammatory process invisible to the naked eye. Health additives and added to mayonnaise. For example, starch is added to mayonnaise as a thickener. And not simple, but generally modified: potatoes or corn. But mayonnaise seems to be very desirable for our bodies because it is fat, ”said Dr. R. Petereit.

– And fat is very important in the diet. They improve the quality of the dish, the texture of the food, the taste. I recommend choosing healthier foods. For example, make an avocado ointment, season with garlic, add a little good olive oil with polyphenols, and make your own avocado mayonnaise. “

Still, if one really can’t live without mayonnaise, there is another option: mix the mayonnaise in half with Greek yogurt. Or make mayonnaise at home, for example, with cashews. There are many such recipes online. The nuts themselves are rich in good fat and protein, and also in avocado.

Your doctor advises you not to use sunflower oil, it is best to choose olive oil. If there are egg yolks in the recipe, it should be noted that they are green and not highly recommended, as they increase the risk of salmonellosis.

Poppy dumplings and milk

Although Christmas cakes are an inseparable dish of the most beautiful holidays of the year, they are not the healthiest option in terms of nutrition, since the main ingredient in Christmas cakes is wheat flour.
These are fast-breaking carbohydrates that we get energy from quickly and there is no benefit to our body. Because the production of processed (refined) flour eliminates fibers, vitamins and antioxidants.

It is best to make cakes at home with whole wheat flour with more than 6 g of fiber for every 100 g of fiber. Put very little sugar, just for flavor, so that 100g of Christmas cake sugar is no more than 4g. Christmas cakes purchased often contain more than 12-15g of sugar. So in terms of nutritional value, Christmas cakes can be considered a dessert.

“The same rule applies when choosing black bread. The more fiber and less sugar, the healthier the bread. So choose or bake bread at home, but the recommended amount of 100g of fiber is more than 6g and less sugar of 4 g Please note that yeast can increase the unpleasant symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux ”, warned the dietitian.

Poppy milk – a non-alcoholic drink made from poppies, boiled ice water and sugar, a Christmas cake topping for the Christmas table. Poppy milk is like an alcoholic drink, a legacy of spirits. The most important thing is not to multiply the added sugar, which is harmful to our health. According to dr. R. Petereit, the poppy milk along with the meatballs should be eaten for dessert.

Kissels, mushrooms and nuts

Christmas Eve without kisses is not Christmas Eve, smiles the doctor. It is usually cooked using not only berries but also starch. Starch itself is a complex carbohydrate, a polysaccharide made up of at least 10 saccharide molecules, and is not recommended in the diet.

“To drink kissels during Christmas, I recommend preparing it with a flaxseed decoction, because the latter is especially useful for the stomach,” advises Dr. R. Petereit.

Nuts contain fructose. It is recommended to choose them without added sugar and without syrup, because very often the nuts are soaked in maple or another syrup. Both dried fruits and nuts are rich in calories, it is recommended to choose them without sugar, without salt. They can be used to taste salads, other dishes or to eat as an aperitif.

“The daily rate is about 30 g of dried fruits or nuts a day. I recommend eating fresh fruit better and seasoning cakes and dishes with nuts, ”said the dietitian.

Mushrooms are one of the oldest foods for human consumption. Mushrooms have a lot of fiber, water and many substances that are poorly absorbed: chitin, which makes them difficult to digest, so it is recommended not to multiply them, to use them in moderation. In terms of minerals, mushrooms are not inferior to fruits and vegetables, and fish are equal in phosphorus, calcium and potassium.

Prohibit or strictly reject – not necessary

According to dr. R. Petereit, there is no need to attack the extremes and strictly prohibit something or “forgive the reins” completely, because in that case, after the holidays, you can suffer from gnawing, guilt.

“It just came to our notice then. You have to ask yourself: do I want that? Is it good for my health? The more we ban, the more we want that product. So let’s remember the saying during the holidays: we eat to live, we don’t live to eat.” said the interlocutor.
The doctor also recommended that I spend more time communicating, even remotely, in addition to remembering to go for a walk.

“Prepare your favorite dishes with healthy foods. The diet should be similar to that of a normal day, and the size of one serving of food at a time is what fits in its nuts, ”said Dr. R. Petereit.