5 Foods to Avoid During Christmas Parties (and What to Get Instead)

No Filipino gathering is complete without food as the centerpiece. In fact, many individuals show greater anticipation for the handa than the commemoration of the event itself.

But before you start digging into generous mounds of tasty Pinoy dishes, take some time to think of the impact that your dietary choices can have on your health. When you think about it, the delicacies often served during Christmas time tend to be high in calories, fats, sodium, and sugar.

Consistently exceeding your daily caloric requirement, which can easily happen during holiday festivities, may eventually lead to obesity especially if you're leading a sedentary lifestyle. Moreover, excessive intake of fats, sodium, and sugar can be detrimental to your overall well-being.

Health issues can affect your life in multiple ways. For instance, they can obstruct your physical abilities and mental cognition, leading to poor performance at work. They can also increase your risk of developing serious health problems. And if those aren't bad enough, healthcare expenses can take a toll on your savings plan, draining resources that could have gone to more productive ventures.

To avoid all those repercussions, it's vital to choose healthier food options. Below, we have compiled five healthy food swaps to help you get started on the road to eating clean.

Foods to Avoid During Christmas Parties (and Healthy Alternatives)

1. Lechon
   
   Roast pig or lechon is undeniably one of the most celebrated Christmas dishes in the country. Even the late Anthony Bourdain described the crunchy lechon as the "best pig ever" when he traveled to the Philippines in 2009.
   
   But despite its crackling perfection, lechon highlights fatty parts that can especially affect those who suffer from hypertension and heart disease. Thus, people who need to regulate their cholesterol intake should avoid consuming fatty foods like lechon.
   
   Moreover, while cholesterol is not necessarily bad, going beyond the recommended daily intake can make you more likely to develop cardiovascular disease.
   
   The alternative: White meat
   
   Chicken breast is a rich source of lean protein. More impressively, it also contains phosphorus, selenium, niacin, and vitamin B6. To get the most benefits out of the chicken breast, avoid adding fatty sauces or sodium-filled condiments.
   
   
2. Soft drinks
   
   A regular bottle of soft drink has about eight teaspoons of sugar. Health professionals recommend limiting daily sugar intake to six teaspoons for women and nine teaspoons for men.
   
   To give you an illustration of how sugary soft drinks are, Dr. Willie Ong, an internist-cardiologist at Makati Medical Center and Manila Doctors Hospital, likens drinking soft drinks to "eating pure sugar and taking in water."
   
   In addition, a study links the consumption of soda to the development of heart disease and diabetes. Kidney specialists assert that the phosphorus in diet soft drinks can harm the kidneys, and even worse, lead to calcium loss and weakens the bones.
   
   The alternative: Unsweetened iced tea
   
   Tea contains antioxidants that help combat free radicals and oxidative damage. Moreover, it promotes healthy digestion, aids in weight loss, boosts immunity, and even lowers risks of stroke and heart attack, according to Anna Ardine, a clinical manager at Magee-Women's Hospital at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.
   
   
3. Lumpia
   
   Lumpia has two main popular variants: lumpiang gulay and lumpiang shanghai. Both dishes consist of a pre-cooked filling wrapped in egg crepe—the former with mixed vegetable filling and the latter with meat filling.
   
   While the ingredients aren't exactly unhealthy, the cooking process of deep-frying is what makes lumpia greasy. The filling is also usually seasoned with additives and sodium-rich flavoring agents, which contribute to its unhealthiness.
   
   The alternative: Fresh lumpiang togue or ubod
   
   Because fresh lumpia consists mostly of vegetables, it's a great source of fiber, minerals, and vitamins B, C, and A. Moreover, since the deep-frying process is what makes lumpia unhealthy, serving it fresh retains its natural nutritive value.
   
   
4. Kare-kare
   
   Kare-kare is a classic Pinoy stew that combines oxtail with various vegetables in a thick, creamy peanut sauce and is often served with fermented krill paste or alamang. A serving of 100 grams of oxtail equates to 262 calories, and about 130 of these come from fat. To add, over one-third of its fat content is classified as saturated. Oxtail also contains 114 milligrams of cholesterol.
   
   The alternative: Chop suey
   
   This healthful vegetable dish is rich in vitamin C, vitamin B6, calcium, folic acid, and pantothenic acids. It's also a good source of protein. Moreover, the liver in chop suey contains iron, which supports the oxygenation of blood.
   
   
5. Creamy salad dressing
   
   You may think that going for a bowl of salad is a healthy choice. However, the standard toppings and dressings paired with salads are often high in fat, cholesterol, and sodium. They are also calorie-dense and may contain sugar and artificial additives.
   
   The alternative: Balsamic vinaigrette, salsa, or olive oil
   
   According to Medical News Today, balsamic vinegar may promote skin health, improve digestive health, reduce blood sugar, and lower cholesterol levels. Fresh salsa is rich in vitamin C, fiber, lycopene, and potassium. As for olive oil, it has healthy monounsaturated fats, potent anti-inflammatory properties, and can reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes.

The Takeaway

While it's perfectly fine to enjoy a wide variety of food items in moderation, too much of anything can lead to undesirable outcomes. Maintaining a balanced diet and choosing healthier food options will not only improve your health but will also allow you to appreciate the true meaning of the holidays: reconnecting with loved ones.

That said, medical and health emergencies can always happen, and it’s always better to be prepared. Talk to a Bancassurance Sales Executive at any of the 900 BPI branches and jumpstart your journey to financial preparedness today.