Some of the most popular ingredients for your Christmas Feast have very beneficial qualities. Here is a list so you can easily see what you are eating. Combining foods are a solution for a lot of people who have digestive issues and who need to lose weight. If you have trouble enjoying your feast because of excessive bloating and pain afterward, try eating just the meat with green vegetables like the green beans and the salad or enjoy all the side dishes but leave the meat for a snack later. Don't eat dessert with the meal. Wait three hours to let your big meal digest properly and then indulge but try to eat less than you normally would or share dessert with a friend.
Ham:
Ham
contains a high level of some of the essential B vitamins, such as B1,
B12, and niacin. It is also rich in other nutrients, such as
phosphorous, zinc, potassium, iron and magnesium, which are important to
our daily diet. Our bodies require a certain amount of protein daily
and the body does not store protein so we need to replenish it each day.
A 3-ounce portion of ham provides approximately 30% to 50% of our daily
requirement for protein, depending on the type of ham.Ham is high in sodium due to the curing process. It can contain half of the daily-recommended intake for sodium. When planning a menu that includes ham, you should add items that are low in sodium to try to keep your total sodium intake down.
Turkey:
Compared
with other meats, turkey has fewer calories, less fat, less
cholesterol, and very little sodium, but it is high in protein,
vitamins, and minerals. Most of the fat in turkey is within the skin
and most of the fat within the meat is in the dark meat. The white meat
with the skin removed is a good food source for people on low-fat and/or
low sodium diets. The meat fiber is easier to digest than other types
of meat, which makes it a good choice for individuals that may have
digestive problems. Turkey is an excellent source of several important
vitamins and nutrients such as iron, niacin, zinc, potassium, and B
vitamins.Cranberries:
Contain excellent vitamin C, very good dietary fiber, manganese and vitamin K. Cranberries Combat Herpes Virus...Laboratory studies published in the October 2004 issue of the Journal of Science, Food and Agriculture have shown that a phytonutrient isolated from cranberries is effective against the herpes simplex virus (HSV-2), the cause of genital herpes. In a manner similar to the way the tannins in cranberries protect against bladder infection by preventing bacteria from adhering to the bladder wall, cranberries' antiviral compound, proanthocyanidin A-1, inhibits the attachment and penetration of the herpes virus.
Pumpkin:
This
fall favorite is very high in carotene content, just like its winter
squash cousins, butternut and Hubbard. All are fiber rich too. Harvard
researchers recently found that women who ate of fruits and vegetables
high in carotene including beta carotene had a 39 percent lower risk of
cataracts requiring surgery than women who had the lowest carotene
intake. Winter squash was one of the strongest protectors.Sweet Potatoes:
These
pack almost twice as much fiber and significantly more beta carotene
than white or red potatoes. In the Harvard Nurse's Health Study, women
who took 15 to 20 milligrams of beta carotene a day (1/2 cup of mashed
sweet potatoes has 13 milligrams) had a 39 percent lower risk for heart
attack than women who consumed less than 6 milligrams of beta carotene a
day.Chocolate:
Yes, chocolate can be
good for you, but it has to be the dark chocolate, not milk chocolate.
Milk will bind to the antioxidants in the chocolate and make them
unavailable to your body. For this same reason, you also do not want to
drink milk when eating dark chocolate. Chocolate contains procyanidins
& epicatechins. These are flavonoids that are part of a group of
antioxidants called polyphenols. Dark chocolate can, in moderation, be an important part of a daily balanced diet. Dark chocolate has been known as a brain enhancement and even a substitute for sex. That not all bad.
