How To Move From A Lean Meal To The Festive Christmas Table?

Christmas fasting is coming to an end. They started on November 15 and ended on December 24, 2010, when only meatless foods prepared with vegetable oil were traditionally placed on the festive table.


Many choose to follow them because their faith dictates, while others see fasting as an opportunity to lose weight.


Every year, nutritionists say that only healthy adults can afford to observe the entire fasting period, which lasts 40 days. Even for them, the church allows fish to be consumed on certain days. That is why the Christmas fast is also called the Fish Lent.
 

Fish contains almost all the proteins found in meat, as well as useful fats, so-called omega-3 fats , which reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.


Fasting excludes the consumption of meat and meat products, as well as other foods of animal origin such as milk, cheese, eggs, alcohol. This stops the intake of fats and proteins of animal origin , but increases that of vegetable origin , respectively carbohydrates. This reduces the consumption of fatty meat products, which lead to a number of health problems - significantly affect the level of cholesterol in the blood, blood pressure, increasing it, are essential for obesity ...


In order not to disturb the balance in the body, it is necessary to look for adequate substitutes for animal proteins, as well as to take sufficiently rich in vitamins and minerals, products of plant origin. It is also necessary to import enough energy, which is obtained mainly through carbohydrates, but they must be really useful, slow to digest and maintain normal blood sugar for a long period of time.


Nutritionists recommend fasting people to focus on legumes - beans, lentils, peas, beans. They are rich in protein foods, contain vitamins B, E, magnesium, phosphorus, iron, potassium.


The nutsmust be present at the table. They are rich in extremely useful unsaturated fatty acids and potassium, magnesium, copper, selenium, phosphorus, zinc, as well as vitamin E, which is a powerful factor associated with immune protection.


Do not miss vegetables and fruits that are rich in valuable minerals, vitamins, mainly C, A, folic acid.


It is these foods that are present on the last day of Lent, Christmas Eve , when traditionally in many homes are served an odd number of dishes without meat.


In order not to disturb the activity of the digestive system, it is very important to prepare for the transition to a normal diet after fasting. This period is marked as feeding, which occurs smoothly, with the gradual inclusion of limited foods. Yogurt is a good food to start with, then include cow's cheese, cottage cheese, eggs . That is why the pie is really desirable in the first days after fasting, but provided that it is not overdone with butter. In this sense, suitable for the festive family Christmas table are the dishes prepared with lean meat - rabbit, turkey, chicken, fish ...


Fried foods are not recommended , especially fried meat. The other condition to avoid stomach upset on holidays is to eat onsmall portions, 4-5 times a day.