The holiday season is a time for celebration. It is also a time people forget about diet and a time to enjoy the delicious food prepared for the festivity. Hence, before Christmas and New Year comes, why not make some sacrifices during the regular days?
Observing a healthier diet pre-holidays will give room for your bellies and entire body to enjoy the true spirit of Christmas and New Year: pigging out on sumptuous meals. Below are healthy food products you can consume to help with your holiday preparations.
Probiotics-rich food
According to Insider, consuming probiotics doesn’t directly help lose weight but helps in a healthier, balanced diet. By switching to probiotic food rather, it can help in weight loss because you are avoiding processed food that contributes to weight gain.
Probiotic foods are items that have live microorganisms, also known as good bacteria. Consuming food with probiotics has different health benefits including the prevention of digestive problems such as diarrhea and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Food rich in probiotics also prevents urinary tract infection as well as digestive tract infection.
Some studies even suggest that probiotics reduce depression and improve the health of the heart. It can help your skin, too.
Yogurt
One of the most popular sources of probiotics is yogurt. Yogurt is essentially fermented milk containing lactic acid bacteria. Yogurt has plenty of health benefits including improving bone health and blood pressure.
Children may also benefit from eating yogurt by reducing diarrhea and symptoms of IBS. Great news for individuals with lactose intolerance, too; as lactose has been converted into lactic acid, they can consume yogurt without worries.
It’s important to note, however, that some yogurt no longer has live probiotics. Therefore, you must make sure that you’re purchasing a yogurt with live cultures. Be careful with checking the label, too, for sugar content.
Sauerkraut
Famous in European countries like Germany and Poland, sauerkraut is essentially fermented shredded cabbage. Commonly a side dish eaten together with sausages, it is a tasty fermented vegetable that tastes sour and salty. Sauerkraut can be stored for months.
This European favorite has many benefits. Aside from containing probiotics, it contains fiber and other vitamins. Moreover, it is rich in antioxidants that keep the eye healthy.
Kimchi
Like sauerkraut, kimchi is a fermented vegetable, too. Originating from Korea, this spicy dish can be cut into different sizes and can be made from other kinds of vegetables. Aside from cabbages, kimchi may use radish or cucumber as the main ingredient.
What completes kimchi are the spicy ingredients such as ginger, garlic, and red pepper flakes. Like other food items that contain probiotics, it has digestive health benefits. In addition, kimchi contains vitamin K, B2, and iron.
Granola
Eating cinnamon maple granola can be part of your diet and holiday prep, too. This sweet treat is not only delicious, but it’s healthy, too. Usually consumed during breakfast, granola contains oats and nuts and is sometimes mixed with dried fruit, nut butter, and other seeds. It is sweetened by either honey or sugar.
Health benefits
Granola is fiber and micronutrients. Individuals can get vitamins B and E from it, as well as iron, zinc, and magnesium. The healthier ingredients mixed with granola, the higher its nutritional value is.
As granola is rich in fiber and protein, you will immediately feel full after eating it. The faster you feel fullness, the lesser you crave more food. Moreover, this fullness extends for a longer period, helping immensely with appetite control.
Aside from this, granola can also improve blood pressure, lessen cholesterol levels and blood sugar, as well as improve gut health. Moreover, if granola has a mix of chia seeds as well as Brazil nuts, it is a good source of antioxidants that helps fight inflammation.
Chickpeas
From pasta to chips, chickpeas can be found almost everywhere. Originally only seen in hummus and cans, chickpeas can now be found in pizzas, cereals, as well as savory bars.
Chickpeas are a great substitute for carbohydrates and have high nutritional value. Consuming enough amounts of this vegetable helps prevent diabetes, heart disease, and obesity.
Interestingly, chickpeas contain sitosterol which has the same characteristics as cholesterol. Through sitosterol, cholesterol absorption is limited and cholesterol levels are lowered in the body. This is how chickpeas help in preventing heart disease.
Additionally, as chickpeas are rich in fiber, the filling of fullness granola provides can be achieved by consuming chickpeas, too. Therefore, chickpeas can help in managing weight.
It’s not all about losing weight
Preparing for the holidays is not only about losing weight but about consuming the right food that promotes a healthier body. Moreover, if you can, why not carry on with the healthy diet and do it regularly even after the holidays are over?
