Coping with the season of temptation - healthy eating during the holidays - Brief Article

USA Today (Society for the Advancement of Education), Nov, 1997

In the summer and fall, people's senses are deluged with the best foodstuffs available. Not only are they awash in fresh fruits and vegetables, they have the health industry's blessing to consume at will and never mind moderation.

Then comes the holiday season, that gobbler of diets and motivation. 'Tis the season of gravies and desserts, when sweets and delectably fatty dishes are in such abundance that it almost seems like a harvest, with acres of brownies, glazed cookies, and powdered confections, like tomatoes in August, needing to be consumed before they spoil.

Of course, the health-conscious know better. Most Americans are making fervent promises not to touch one of those tempting dishes, even if they are as delicious in appearance as the greenest cucumbers and reddest watermelons.

Despite these vows, when faced with the approach of this season of nutritional sin, willpower is going to vanish like tan lines in January. However, health experts have become more realistic about how to handle its temptations. "Balancing the calories and fat we consume is still the goal," indicates nutritionist Alice Lindeman, Indiana University, Bloomington. "Plan ahead so you can allow yourself to overeat on certain days. On the days before and after a `gorge,' eat a little less and exercise a little more."

It would be prudent to give a polite thumbs-down to some of the holiday invitations, she suggests. "The fewer parties you attend, the less the temptation to eat the wrong things or to overeat." Yet, with the pressure to socialize so heavy at this time of year, it's asking-too much to sacrifice festivities completely for the sake of diet and health. The trick is to be realistic and balanced. "Arrive at these parties later than other guests, because most of the fatty and sweet foods will be gone by then. Stick to the vegetables, but avoid the dips unless you know they're low-fat or fat-free."

Watch out for alcoholic beverages, too. Not only are they loaded with calories, they stimulate the urge to overeat. Lindeman proposes holding a low-car beverage in your hand throughout the party, which also keeps you from taking too many snacks.

If you're the one doing the cooking and entertaining, you have a choice to serve more nutritious, but just as tasty, meals and party fare. "All the traditional holiday foods can now be prepared with less fat. There are recipes available in magazines and bookstores everywhere." It will help your guests and families if you cook just enough to serve for the event. Leftovers are a difficult temptation to resist because of the sentiment in this culture against "wasting" food.