Holiday eating truths and errors

Between shopping for food for entertaining and enjoying holiday parties with family and friends, healthy eating routines often suffer the same fate as a Christmas tree in January.

Nutrition myths abound during the season, but armed with some strategies, you can battle the holiday bulge. Here are just a few of the season's food facts and fallacies.

Keep your diet plans to yourself
False
Telling everyone that I'm trying to eat only healthy choices through the holidays is a terrific way to enlist support.

Fact
It's much safer to be low key. An announcement like this can instead bring out the guilt in a person who has just decided to enjoy a decadent delight (and to respond by heaping food on you). Or it can prod a friend who has slaved over her holiday baking to insist that you try some.

Eat before you party
False
Eating lightly the day of a party allows me to binge at the bash.

Fact
If you arrive at a party starving, you're more likely to hijack the first hors d'oeuvres tray you see. Before you can say Merry Christmas or Happy Hanukkah, the cheese plate may be history.

Stay in control -- don't skip meals earlier in the day. Have a snack before you head to the festivities. A bowl of broth or vegetable soup or some fruit and low-fat yogurt can take the edge off your appetite so you can be selective about your food choices.

Drinks factor into your calorie count
False
If it's liquid, it's not fattening!

Fact
In some cases, drinks do more to foil your girth-control efforts than even nuts and other holiday fare. Sugary beverages won't satisfy your appetite; you'll eat the same amount whether you drink water or a 12-ounce cola (140 calories). The same goes for alcohol.

And since booze is dehydrating, you'll want to toss back more after your first glass. Popular protein-rich drinks such as eggnog are annual rituals, but they pack a mighty caloric wallop at almost 350 calories and 20 grams of fat per cup.

Mind the desserts
False
Meringue-based treats are more calorie-conscious options than “heavier” choices such as chocolate cake.

Fact
It's true that the meringue itself -- basically sugar and egg whites -- doesn't carry a heavy caloric load, but it's often partnered with cream and nuts, which can send the caloric counts soaring.

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Wisely navigate food courts
False
While holiday shopping, I skip the food court if I want healthy eats.

Fact
Food courts aren't the Bermuda Triangle for diets they once were. Some outlets offer safe harbour. Look for nutritional information about the menu on companies' websites or brochures. Opt for grilled or steamed choices over fried, and don't assume that salads are smart choices. Fried additions, such as battered chicken, or toppings, such as bacon bits and dressing, can make salads on par in calories with a burger.

Don't overeat
False
Holiday meals always leave me stuffed like a turkey.

Fact
Navigating a celebratory dinner can be downright easy if you approach the meal with a good game plan. First, turkey is a low-fat entrée if you go for white meat and take the skin off (it's just over half the calories of dark meat with the skin on).

If you love the skin, savour a couple of bites and skip the rest. Have gravy on the side -- drizzled on for taste -- or enjoy some cranberry sauce instead.

As for other fat-laden favourites, such as mashed potatoes (at about 240 calories for a one cup/250-mL serving) and stuffing (250 calories for a 3⁄4 cup/175-mL serving), practise portion control. If someone is dishing out large servings, ask for less. You can always have seconds.

When it comes to dessert, follow the “10 rule” -- only eat the best. Ask for a forkful and then rate the offering on a scale of one to 10 according to how fabulous it tastes. Ask for a serving only if it rates a 10. It has to be worth it to make the caloric splurge.

Forget mindless eating
False
The calories don't count if I'm standing up and talking.

Fact
Of course you don't really believe this one. But it's a trap to watch out for. If you're having a fascinating conversation, it's easy to pop appetizers, such as spring rolls and other savoury pastries, into your mouth without giving them a second thought – to either how much you're eating or just how good they taste. So save the high calorie offerings for either boring company or those who don't mind silence as you concentrate on the taste of the food.

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