The 10 delicious Christmas food and drink swaps to beat the festive bloat WITHOUT missing out
It’s safe to assume that one of the year’s most gluttonous days is Christmas.
And thankfully, one day of enjoying not-so-nutritious food isn’t going to have a detrimental impact on our health.
However, we all know the party season lasts longer than 24 hours.
Over time, it can take its toll on our digestive systems, with symptoms such asbloating,irregular bowel movementsandheartburn.
Dietitians don’t want us to ditch the mince pies, mulled wine and cheese platters completely, but there are some ways to switch things up to benefit our wellbeing.
Orla Stone, a gut health specialist at Deeply, stated: “We are aware that the beneficial bacteria in our stomachs will be impacted by the foods we eat, excessive alcohol consumption, and a lack of sleep and activity.
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Because of the close relationship between the stomach and the brain, these bacteria are not only essential for gut health but also for immunity, overall health, and even mental health.
“Changes in our gut bacteria can happen over just a few days, so the best way to fight off the January blues is by being aware of our gut health over the festive period, and putting in place as many healthy habits as possible to set you up for the New Year.”
She also said that increasing our consumption of fiber and making sure we’re getting enough D3 and B9 vitamins are the greatest ways to achieve this.
Here, Orla shares her top 10 gut-friendly festive food and drink swaps to help beat the post-Christmas funk.
1. Crisps for mixed nuts
It can be tempting to empty a few big bags of crisps into bowls when you’re having people over around Christmas.
They’re cheap, easy to share, and let’s face it, they taste great!
The 3-minute tummy massage to ease bloating, constipation and trapped wind
“But crisps are ultra-processed and have little nutritional value,” Orla stated.
Instead of using your favorite bags, she suggests switching to mixed nuts because they have “wonderful prebiotics and fiber to feed your gut bacteria.”
Her favourite varieties include chestnuts, pistachios, hazelnuts and almonds.
2. White chocolate for dark
“If you feel like some chocolate while you’re watching your favourite Christmas movie, go for at least 70 per cent dark over white or milk,” Orla said.
“Dark chocolatecontains more cocoa than milk chocolate (white chocolate has none).
“It s this cocoa that contains the polyphenols a plant chemical that your gut bacteria love to feed on.”
3. Syrups for your own spices
Another simple swap is making your own spice blends instead of relying on syrups to make your drinks taste Christmassy.
“Your gut bacteria love spices like ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg, but sugary syrups have no nutritional value,” Orla stated.
“Steer clear of spice-flavoured syrups and experiment with adding your own spices to your drinks.”
4. Yule log for Christmas cake
Quick, a dietitian is recommending cake!
Orla said yule logs contain fat and sugar, and not much else – both of which are “inflammatory ingredients”.
Contrarily, Christmas cake has a “wonderful mix of dried fruit and almonds” that may be beneficial to your gut flora.
“It provides your bacteria with polyphenols and prebiotic fibre to help them to thrive,” Orla added.
Tips to beat your bloat
You will be clearly uncomfortable if you have bloating because your stomach may be pressing against your jeans.
Additionally, you may feel a little more gassy than normal and hear some unsettling gurgling sounds coming from your stomach.
An accumulation of gas in your gut from fizzy drinks or wind-producing veggies could be to blame.
But persistent bloating might also indicate a problem with your digestion caused by conditions like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), food intolerances and Coeliac disease.
Here are some NHS-approved tips to reduce it:
- Exercise regularly to improve your digestion and help prevent bloating exercise can also help when you’re feeling bloated
- Chew with your mouth closed to avoid swallowing air
- Drink plenty of water
- Eat foods high in fibre if constipated
- Eat smaller, more frequent meals instead of large meals
- Massage your stomach from right to left to release trapped wind
- Steer clear of too many fizzy or boozy or caffeinated drinks
- Swerve foods that are known to cause gas, like cabbage, beans or lentils
- Don’t eat large meals late at night before bed, or slouch when eating
- Avoid processed, sugary, spicy or fatty foods
- Don’t eat food you are intolerant to
Consult a doctor if you’ve been feeling bloated for three weeks or more, you often feel bloated despite changing your diet, you’ve felt a lump in your tummy or you have symptoms like sickness, diarrhoea, constipation, weight loss and blood in your poo.
Source: NHS
5. White bread for sourdough
If you want to serve a fancy mid-morning snack on Christmas Day, why not try salmon on sourdough bread?
“Plain, white bread is of little nutritive value, whereas sourdough bread provides your gut with live bacteria due to the natural fermentation process that it undergoes,” Orla said.
“Smoked salmon is a great source of omega 3 fats, another nutrient which has been shown to support the growth of healthy bacteria in your gut.”
6. Meaty stuffing for a veggie option
Our guts love variety, Orla said, so a stuffing recipe with several ingredients instead of just a couple is a winner.
Instead of a plainsausage meatone, the nutrition consultant suggested a recipe revolving around red onion, celery, apricots, almonds and wholemeal bread.
“Red onions are rich in polyphenols, while apricots and almonds are a great source of prebiotics, both of which help your gut bacteria to thrive,” she added.
7. Crackers for carrot sticks and hummus
“Instead of crackers, why not have crunchy vegetable sticks and hummus?” Orla said.
“Crackers are ultra-processed and contain little to no fibre.
“You can get the same great crunch from some fibre-rich raw vegetables and a nutritious dipping of hummus.”
Hummus is made from chickpeas, which Orla said are rich in a fibre called resistant starch, which gut bacteria love to feast on.
8. Cream for yoghurt
Yes, drenching desserts in single or double cream is a decadent experience – but it’s not great for our insides.
Instead, pour a fermented milk drink known askefiror Greek yoghurt instead.
“Kefir and Greek yoghurt are great gut-friendly alternatives to cream,” Orla said.
“They both contain live bacteria which support your gut health.”
9. Prosecco for kombucha
It might sound like a tricky switch, but Orla advises ditching your glass of prosecco for one ofkombucha.
Kombucha is a fermented black tea drink that has a slightly acidic flavour and fizz.
“Your gut bacteria love anything fermented, so they will love this bubbly drink,” she said.
“You still get the bubbles, but without the gut-damaging effects.”
10. Beer for mulled wine
Finally, Orla reckons it’s worth swapping beer and white wine for red wine – particularly the mulled kind (and bonus points if it’s non-alcoholic).
“Beerand whitewinehave no benefit for your gut bacteria,” she said.
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“Limiting your alcohol intake is an important part of supporting your gut health, but if you do drink, opt for a red or mulled wine over beer or white wine.
“The grapes used to makered winecontain polyphenols, which our gut bacteria love.”
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