Sugar free christmas

In those we usually start with the aperitif, we continue with the two or three dishes of rigor and we finish with a dessert, plus the assortment of nougat and other sweets. They are copious meals, excessive in the vast majority of cases.

Excess protein, fat and sugar at Christmas

Christmas meals usually have excess protein, since many appetizers are made up of protein foods with cold cuts and / or seafood and then we go back to having meat products generally on the second plate, sometimes even on the first. The fat content It is also usually considerable when preparing appetizers with sauce, broths that are sometimes quite loaded, seconds quite consistent and desserts even more.

The sugar at christmas usually takes the palm, since many processed products usually contain sugar. Therefore, we must. The main dishes are more common traditional dishes cooked entirely at home and there it will be more difficult for the sugar to drain. But when it is time for dessert ... everything changes, since in all of them we are going to find a good sugar content.

Nougat without sugar

The reality is somewhat disappointing because normally we are talking about, not without sugar, but without added sugar. And is that if sugar occurs naturally in food, as in the case of honey used in nougats, it is considered not added sugar but we would still be ingesting sugar.

Another option is that they have also substituted honey or any other sugary ingredient for some sweetener. In this case, polyalcohols are usually used, which are products that have sufficient sweetening capacity and provide the right texture to achieve a good product from the point of view of the senses. In these cases, the sugar content is lower, but this is not why it is a light or low calorie product. The fat content of nougat is usually important, so a few grams less of sugar does not make it a light food.

What if there is a diabetic person at home?

We must take into account the amount of carbohydrates what do you drink that day, especially sugars. The advice is usually to moderate the amounts and do not resort to nougat without sugar, because the consumption of these products can give a false sense of control and that we consume too much for it. Although the indications should always be customized according to each case.

We must bear in mind that polyols that are used as sweeteners can cause gastric discomfort if consumed in excess. In addition, the increase in postprandial glucose, that is, after an intake, not only increases due to the intake of sugar, but also fats and proteins produce an increase in blood sugar.

8 Tips for Coping with the Holidays

• Limit consuming nougat and Christmas sweets only on the designated dates and not since November.
• Calculate what you will need to avoid reaching March with a closet full of marzipan and temptations.
• Check the labels before buying products as they may have hidden sugar (despite not being sweet) and do not forget that "no sugar" is not the same as "no added sugar".
• If you prepare the menu yourself, try to choose light dishes rich in fruits and vegetables.
• If you are eating out, you can control the proportions and moderate the amounts.
• Increase the physical activity on holidays. Strolling after your meal will help you stretch your legs, help keep your blood sugar from rising so much, and prevent you from snacking on sweets all afternoon.
• There is no way to compensate for an excess, so try to moderate yourself.
• Do not forget that alcohol is a toxic product for the body, it is best to limit its consumption.

• Let's avoid anticipating with the purchase of sweets, and leave their consumption for the holidays.
• On holidays we try not to exceed in quantities, and choose a moderate portion of what we like the most.
• In Christmas meals there may be excess fat, protein and sugar, so the ideal is to choose well and proportionally and limit or avoid alcohol intake.

Bachelor of Food Science and Technology Diploma in Human Nutrition and Dietetics