Don’t Skip Potatoes for the Holidays

Here come the holidays!

We’re fast approaching that ‘time of year’ – you know the one I’m talking about – the holiday season! For many people, it’s a bittersweet time. People get excited about the enjoyment of it all, but also sadly anticipate putting on a few pounds of weight with all the parties and goodies that abound.

And, unfortunately, with the holidays approaching quickly, all those crazy diets and nutrition misinformation will be floating around, confusing everyone.

Don’t follow the masses. Don’t accept weight gain expectations. Do something about your concerns this season by educating yourself on how to eat well during the holidays. Learn what should be avoided, and know what is essential and important to eat. And don’t fall prey to the popular low-carb diets. Carbohydrates are important to our health and nutrition and should not be avoided.

The role of Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates are the primary fuel source for the human body. Although both protein and fat can also be utilized as fuel, carbohydrates are the macronutrients that supply the majority of glucose to the body. The brain cannot survive without glucose. The minimum amount of carbohydrate needed to ensure available glucose for the brain to function normally is 130g/day for adults and children. Most of us eat between 200-300 grams per day. If the body does not receive, through diet, enough carbohydrate to supply the brain with adequate glucose, the body will then break down its own protein stores (muscle) to supply the brain with its primary fuel.

Carbohydrates are also necessary to help burn fat, in the form of fatty acids, for energy. There is a saying that ‘fat burns in the flame of carbohydrates’. Again, if there is not enough carbohydrate to supply this need, then the body looks to its protein stores to serve this energy need. The conversion of protein into glucose happens in the liver, where protein, in the form of amino acids, is stripped of nitrogen and the carbon skeleton is converted into glucose. The downside of this, though, is that body fat then is not burnt during this conversion: Therefore, in order to burn the most amount of fat there has to be enough carbohydrates eaten.

Potatoes during the holidays

As an enjoyable holiday staple, it’s unfortunate that potatoes have been getting a bad rap, coinciding with people still afraid of eating carbohydrates. Nutritionally, eating potatoes is as good as it gets! Just one medium-sized potato is only second to broccoli in overall antioxidant activity, which may help protect against cancer. Potatoes are higher in potassium than a banana! Potassium, along with a low sodium diet, may reduce the risk of high blood pressure and stroke. A potato is almost a non-fat food and only provides 100 calories. It also provides, with the skin on, three grams of fiber. Preliminary studies show that fiber is beneficial for a healthy digestive system and may help reduce the risk of some cancers and heart disease. And, just when you thought the potato had it all, potatoes are actually one of the leading sources of vitamin C in the American diet! Vitamin C is another potent antioxidant and also produces the collagen that helps hold bone tissue together.

Now that you know it’s not the potato that is harmful – keep in mind that what folks will sometimes add to the potato is: The butter, the sour cream, the gravy. Eliminate these on your potato or in your mashed potatoes, and use skim milk, or seasonings instead.

Here is a great recipe for healthy mashed potatoes. Enjoy!

Fat free garlic mashed potatoes

Ingredients:
1 garlic bulb, unpeeled
splash of olive oil
4 large potatoes (Idaho or russet)
1 cup low-sodium canned chicken broth
salt to taste
freshly ground black pepper

Cooking instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.

2. Place the garlic cloves in an ovenproof dish and drizzle with olive oil. Place the dish, uncovered, in the oven for 15-20 minutes until the garlic is golden brown and soft.

3. Remove from the oven and let cool.

4. Peel and cut the potatoes. Place them in a pot and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil over high heat and simmer until the potatoes are tender when pricked with a fork, about 30 minutes. Drain.

5. Simmer the chicken broth.

6. Squeeze the roasted garlic cloves to release each clove of garlic from the skins. Throw away the skins. Mash the garlic with a fork.

7. Mash the potatoes. Add the roasted garlic. Slowly add the stock until the desired consistency is reached.

8. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Serving Size: about 1/2 cup

Number of Servings: 6

Nutrition per serving: 106 calories, 26 grams carbohydrate, 3 grams fiber, 0 fat and saturated fat, 5 grams protein.

More holiday tips

Eating and enjoying potatoes at the holidays is just one step forward in the right direction. Here are some other tips for eating healthy during the holidays:

· Pay attention to portion sizes. Have one serving of each food at the meal and avoid going back for seconds. Chances are good that one plate of food provides enough calories for your needs. One half of a cup of mashed potatoes equals one serving.

· Eat slowly. This can be particularly hard if you have starved yourself all day, in preparation for the evening’s event. It takes about 15 minutes to feel the effect of food, so it’s important to eat slowly and chew your food thoroughly. Then you can really taste and savor your food and allow your body time to feel full.

· Don’t go to an event famished. Make sure to eat lightly during the day and have a light meal 1—2 hours before you head out for that holiday gathering. Saving up the calories for later can result in total sabotage to your good intentions. Most holiday parties offer a large number of high-fat, high-calorie foods that will look much more appealing when you’re starving than if you feel satisfied. Sure, these foods may still look enticing and you can sample them, but at least hunger won’t be the driving force toward these cravings!

· Cut the fat. There are many ways to cut down the total amount of calories we consume during this period. Here are just a few examples:
- Use skim milk when making mashed potatoes instead of whole milk or cream, and use seasonings instead of margarine or butter.
- Choose white meat turkey instead of dark meat.
- Skim fat from juices when making gravy. Use gravy in moderation.
- Use chicken broth instead of water and eliminate margarine or butter from stuffing recipe.
- Omit margarine and use pineapple and apple juice when making ‘candied’ yams.
- When making pies, use skim evaporated milk in place of regular evaporated milk.

· Include exercise in your holiday schedule. Above all else, make sure you don’t let your fitness routine fall into the recesses of your muscle memory! It’s harder to pick it back up after the New Year if you’ve stopped altogether rather than just slowed down. It’s common that your usual routine may fall short, but try to include some aspect of physical activity every day, and if you do exercise on a regular basis, get at least one or two days of your usual routine in each week. Not only will this help slow down any possible weight gain, but will also help keep stress levels to a minimum.

You can enjoy the holiday season! Just by keeping these few tips in mind, and remember to eat carbs instead of avoid them, you can indulge in the yuletide treats, feel healthy and energetic, and avoid any weight gain.

Marjorie Geiser is a nutritionist, registered dietitian, certified personal trainer, life coach, and MBA student. Marjorie has been the owner of a successful small business, MEG Fitness, since 1996, helping busy professionals incorporate healthy living and fitness into their lives. She also now offers coaching and consulting services other health professionals who want to start or grow their own small business. To learn more about the services Margie offers, go to her website at http://www.marjoriegeiser.com or http://www.megfit.com or email her at margie@megfit.com.