Celebrate the Holidays with Healthy Eating

Candied yams. Mashed potatoes with gravy. Cookies. The holiday table is a landscape of temptation. Especially when you try to convince yourself that it’s okay to overindulge because you’re starting a new health routine in January. There are many ways to enjoy delicious food, and still keep your health and weight in check. Try making these smarter choices:

• Apples and applesauce ─ Apples are loaded with fiber. Unsweetened applesauce is a tasty way to get fiber without unwanted sugar. Even baked apples with the skin can deliver nutrients that help prevent heart disease.
• Cheese ─ Hard cheeses like parmigiano-reggiano and aged gouda are an easy way to get calcium and protein. Softer cheeses, like brie, feta and ricotta don’t provide the same nutritional value.
• Cranberry sauce (unsweetened) ─ Cranberries are a great way to kill the bacteria that cause most urinary tract infections. If you need a little sweetness, sprinkle on a little sugar.
• Dark chocolate ─ Seventy percent dark chocolate is chock full of flavonols, a nutrient that can help lower your cholesterol.
• Green beans ─ This side-dish staple is naturally low in calories and high in vitamin K, to protect your bones. It’s also a good source of vitamins A and C. Just beware of green bean casseroles or other preparations smothered in heavy sauces.
• Nuts ─ Nuts have heart-healthy unsaturated fat, vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients ─ a nutrient that promotes health.
• Pumpkin pie ─ Pumpkin is a vegetable and its orange color is proof of its high level of carotenoids, which help your body produce vitamin A and fight free radicals. Pumpkin is also a good source of potassium and fiber. Just remember ─ most pies are loaded with sugar, so keep your slice small.
• Yams or sweet potatoes ─ These tasty root vegetables deliver carotenoids for vitamin A, as well as potassium, vitamin C and fiber. Avoid candied yams or sweet potatoes. You can get just as much flavor by baking them with a bit of brown sugar.

Cook up something healthy

Just a few simple cooking tips can help make your favorite holiday recipes much healthier:

• Mash white potatoes with low-sodium, fat-free chicken broth instead of milk, butter and salt.

• Mash sweet potatoes with orange juice instead of butter.

• Try roasting vegetables to bring out their natural flavor.

• Prepare your favorite dips with fat-free sour cream or yogurt.

• Use a gravy separator to skim the fat off of homemade gravy.

• Substitute butter and margarine with heart-healthy canola oil.

• Consider lean pork tenderloin for your main dish instead of fattier or saltier meats.

• Use part-skim or fat-free cheese for lasagna or cheesecake.

• Bake one indulgent dessert and then offer fresh fruit or dark chocolate-dipped strawberries as an alternative.

• Prepare bread pudding with fat-free eggnog instead of whole milk for extra flavor.