During the festive time of Aidilfitri, it is easy to indulge oneself in the gastronomic wonders that Open Houses bring. As much as it is important to have a good time and not disappoint your hosts, it is equally important to approach any feast in a way that does not compromise on your health and good spirits.
Here are some tips on how to eat healthy at every Aidilfitri:
Avoid heavy meals.
If you are emerging from fasting month, your body needs time to re-adjust to regular eating habits. Instead of having 2-3 huge meals that will shock your system, break it down into 4-5 smaller meals, to give your stomach the chance to digest the food better.
Eat more fruits and vegetables
Keep meat intake to a minimum (especially red meats) to prevent digestion problems and to keep cancer, diabetes, liver and heart disease at bay. Plenty of vegetables and fruits are recommended, as their high water and fibre content could keep you from over-eating.
Choose Low-GI sweeteners
The Glycaemic Index (GI) measures how fast the body breaks a food down into glucose. The lower the measurement, the slower the breakdown and the more gradual rise in blood sugar levels. A low GI sweetener, like Big Tree Farm’s Organic Coconut Sugar, could replace normal sugar in drinks such as cordials and tea and coffee, and could help you avoid a ‘sugar crash’ that contributes to that notorious food-induced coma.
Chew!
There are multiple benefits in chewing your food for longer periods. An increased exposure to the enzymes in your saliva allows for easier digestion after swallowing, it maximizes the intake of nutrients, and gives your brain time to realize when you are actually full, which usually takes 15-20 minutes. There’s no rule to how many times you should chew, but 30-40 times is a safe range to reap the rewards.
A sweet ending with Dark Chocolate
When it comes to desserts, reaching for some dark chocolate might be a good idea. Research has shown that dark chocolate gives you a feeling of fullness better than milk chocolate does. At the same time, eating dark chocolate reduces cravings for other sweet desserts, as well as salty and fatty foods, which could save you from going back for seconds. Big Tree Farms’ Wonder Chocolate is a great option to have at the dessert table with its pretty packaging and modest size.
This article was written in collaboration with Diet Angel.
