Winter Nutrition |
The winter holiday season is upon us. We experience much as “stress” during the rest of the year, and now there is much more going on. Traffic is heavier, insistent Christmas carols chortle from loudspeakers. We have gift choices to make and congested parking lots to brave. In a local post office, the manager has hooked up massive speakers and is singing to patrons waiting to ship their gifts; some patrons could scream, but they can’t leave until they have shipped. They will go home to many extra events over these several weeks. They will have extra social obligations and difficult relatives to deal with.
Fortunately, there is also food! “Fortunately”?? There is candy in dishes on many desks and front-hall tables. Holiday dinners are often full feasts. Anyone looking to gain some weight can usually find it during the holidays. After interpersonal conflicts, many rate the temptation of feasting as the greatest stress of the holidays. Many dread a possible expanding waistline, and they therefore dread the holidays. Some especially dread the chocolate that seems to be everywhere.
But wait! The body has to make new cells all the time. The body has only what-we-put-in-our-mouths to make new cells from; so we really do need to eat and drink. We all know the basic holiday food tricks: drink water, reach for the veggies and fruits, cook the lower-fat versions, and quit when you’re full. There will be more opportunities to eat, later, so eating until you hurt is pointless. So why not try something new, like relaxing and actually enjoying your food? What if some of those “bad foods” were actually Good For You?
Actually, many of them are Good For You. Many foods provide physiological benefits that may surprise you. Chocolate, for example, has gotten a bad rap in the past. We now know chocolate contains compounds that make us feel better and can provide health benefits. Obviously, if you know you are allergic to chocolate, or you get headaches or other problems from eating it, this is not the food for you. Everyone else, consider:
1. Chocolate contains stimulating alkaloids such as theobromine, caffeine, theophilline (a muscle stimulant), and over 700 compounds. Small amounts of chocolate can improve mental activity and strengthen immune responses. Caffeine, and possibly theobromine as well, improve mood, vigilance, alertness, and an overall sense of well being.
2. Chocolate contains compounds called “phenolics”, “phenols”, or “polyphenols”, which are antioxidants that slow the fat build-up in arteries. These compounds powerfully help our heart health. These are the same phenolics as found in red wine.
3. Cocoa powder provides more polyphenols per ounce than either green tea or garlic. Milk chocolate contains about 300 mg of polyphenols in a 40 gram (1.4 oz) bar, dark chocolate about 600 mg, and cocoa powder 1200 mg.
4. Chocolate could make milk easier to digest if you are lactose-intolerant. Research has found cocoa reduced cramping, bloating, and other symptoms in half of lactose-intolerant subjects.
5. Chocolate, especially dark chocolate, contains a lot of chromium, which is associated with control of blood sugar levels. So chocolate could actually reduce your cravings for sweets.
6. Cocoa butter, the natural fat in whole chocolate, has been found not to raise cholesterol in men with normal cholesterol.
7. Chocolate was found not to be a trigger for headaches, rather was an unrelated factor, in a recent study.
8. Chocolate doesn’t have to be fatty or sugary. Drop cocoa powder in your nonfat protein shake, or stir it into your nonfat heated milk, with a bit of your favorite sweetener, or stevia.
Personally, I like to take the holidays quietly: that’s my seasonal stress management credo. I’ve decorated a little, mainly with flowers and candles. For holiday gifts, I’ve ordered books and made rumballs —chocolate, of course. I’m staying out of the traffic and away from the singing postman. I’ve put on some quiet classical CD’s, and I have a great book here. Later, I’ll meet friends for a lot of sliced turkey and salad. But for now, I’ll just brew some low fat hot chocolate with a bit of organic sugar and read a while, just practicing enjoyment
To choc or not during the holidays? Choose what works for you. I plan to choc a lot!