A healthy, low-calorie Christmas dinner
Find out how you can cut 500 calories from your traditional Christmas dinner without sacrificing taste. Here are the most famous recipes with the lowest calories:
Turkey
Turkey is a good source of protein and low in fat without the skin on. Provides B vitamins, which you need to produce energy.
The skin on turkey or other roasted poultry is where the most fat accumulates. If you remove the skin, you can save about 40 kilocalories per serving. Light meat also has slightly fewer calories than dark meat, so choose the breast rather than the leg or thigh.
Before you cook your bird, prick the skin to allow the fat to escape. Cook on a tripod or an upside-down oven dish so it isn't sitting in the fat.
Stop: A ground turkey with 100g of lean butter, skinned, contains 146kcal and 4.9g fat (2g saturated).
Swap: A ground turkey with 100 grams of skinned butter contains 104 calories and 2 grams of fat (0.2 grams saturated).
Save 42 kcal.
filler
Chestnuts are low in fat and a good source of potassium, which is what we need for healthy kidneys. Choose chestnuts or a fruit-based filling instead of sausage meat.
Stop: 100g of sausage stuffing contains 252kcal, and 16g of fat (7g saturated).
Swap: A 100-gram filling of roasted cranberries, oranges and chestnuts contain 162kcal, and 0.8g fat (0.1g saturated).
Saved calories: 90 kcal.
Grilled potatoes
Potatoes are a good source of carbohydrates as they are almost fat-free (before they are fried in oil or fat). Baked potatoes are just as delicious, but they're so much better for you.
Stop: 100 grams of fried potatoes in oil contain 149 kilocalories, and 4.5 grams of fat (0.5 grams saturated).
Swap: 100 grams of baked potatoes contain 109 calories, and 0.1 grams of fat (0 grams saturated).
Saved calories: 40 kcal.
broth
To make the low-fat broth, pour the turkey juice into a bowl and wait until the fat floats to the surface. Then remove the fat with a scoop or spoon before using the juicer to make the broth.
The broth can be highly salty. And too much salt may increase blood pressure. If you have broth, try not to add salt to your meal.
bread sauce
Use semi-skimmed milk to make your sauce, and add a clove of garlic to the milk to add flavor.
Stop: 100 grams of our premium bread sauce mix contains 355 calories, and 6.4 grams of fat (3.3 grams saturated).
Swap: 100 grams of semi-skimmed milk bread sauce contains 93 kilocalories and 3.1 grams fat (1.4 grams saturated).
Saved calories: 262 kcal.
vegetables
Brussels sprouts are a good source of folate (a B vitamin) and vitamin C, which may help protect against heart disease and cancer. They contain fiber that helps maintain a healthy digestive system.
Offer plenty of veggies as they're low in calories and fat, but don't drown them out in butter.
Stop: 1 teaspoon (5 grams) of butter adds 37 kcal, 4.1 grams fat = (2.8 grams saturated).
Swap: Use chopped fresh herbs or lemon peel to add flavor. They are almost devoid of calories.
Saved calories: 37 kcal.
Christmas pudding
Christmas pudding is relatively low in fat and high in carbohydrates. It provides some fiber, B vitamins, potassium, iron, and calcium. But eat a small portion only after lunch, as the sugar content in it is high.
You can increase your calcium intake by eating it with low-fat cream, made from semi-skimmed milk. Or have fat-free Greek yogurt instead of butter brandy or double cream.
Stop: 1 teaspoon (15 grams) of brandy butter contains 81 calories and 5.8 grams of fat (3.9 grams saturated). Two teaspoons (30 grams) of double cream contain 133 calories and 14.2 grams of fat (8.9 grams saturated).
Swap: Three teaspoons (45 grams) of low-fat cream contains 27 kilocalories and 0.6 grams of fat (0.54 grams saturated). 2 teaspoons (30 grams) of fat-free Greek yogurt contains 16 calories and 0 grams of fat.
Saved calories: 117 kcal.
If you make all of these food swaps, you can save over 500 kilocalories and lower your fat intake, which will help stop your party weight gain.
All calorie amounts are approximate and depend on the brand selected. For more detailed information on calories and nutritional content, check the product's nutritional labels.