Christmas is a time of reunion and celebration, a time of gathering in family and with friends, ideally around the table with all the traditional foods and dishes. Be it for Christmas Eve Dinner or Christmas Day Lunch, depending on the habits of the family and regions, there are “guests” that cannot miss: codfish, octopus, young goat or lamb, in the North, turkey and pork meats, in the South. Not forgetting the many desserts – mostly with cinnamon flavour, its scent remaining in the air almost until the Three Kings Day –, nuts, the finest wines and liquors. Therefore, it is natural that food habits change a little in this season. In order to minimize the excesses and have a healthier Christmas , follow these advice: Accompany meals with vegetables. If possible, include soup; Rehabilitate figs, plums, raisins and dried apricots, which are rich in fibre, poor in fat and low in salt; Continue to drink plenty of water and eating fruits. Fruits provide nutrients and have less calories, besides being rich in fibre and water, thus reducing the craving for “calorie bombs”; Perform physical activities. Anything goes: a few extra minutes in the gym, go walking to the supermarket or promoting family hikes; Prefer national, seasonal and local products; Reuse leftovers, for it will also help the planet. Source: DGS, Programa Nacional para a Promoção da Alimentação Saudável Now, learn the recipes – inspired in tradition – by our nutritionists Alexandra Lima , Ana Pimenta Ribeiro , Cristina Vieira Cunha , Raquel Barbosa e Simone Fernandes . Dishes Sweets and desserts Meet the nutrition clinical team from Hospital da Luz network
