The warmth and jubilation of Christmas can only be served with luscious, mouthwatering desserts and shared with the loved ones.
Christmas often takes a toll on our health, with a high intake of booze and added carbs. But surprisingly, that is not always the case.
Traditional Christmas puddings, the most iconic Christmas dessert, consists of a fair amount of fibre-rich items like fruits, nuts, and currants that we are mostly unaware of. In contrast to other desserts, Christmas pudding boosts our immune system during these high-calorie days.
So let’s dissect the common ingredients of Christmas pudding and have a look at the nutritional facts.
Dried Fruits
The most iconic part of traditional Christmas pudding is the treats inside, delicious pieces of dry fruit! But along with the irresistible taste, dried fruits are also rich in fibre, micronutrients and antioxidants, vitamins and minerals!
Dried fruits like sultanas, currants, apricots and pears are highly nutritious and packed with essential potassium and iron. They also have a lower glycemic index value compared to normal fruits. Dry fruit intake from your Christmas pudding will help you keep your blood pressure, blood cholesterol and sugar control in check!
Raisins, also referred to as “nature’s candy” is rich in antimicrobial compounds, fibre, and iron. This helps by lowering the risk of heart disease and relieving constipation.
As a good source of potassium, vitamins and minerals, prunes also help with better digestion, relieving constipation, reducing inflammation and protecting your cells from any damage from free radicals.
Mixed Nuts
Luscious Christmas pudding comes with a mixture of chopped nuts, like walnuts, pecan nuts, almonds and hazelnuts. These nuts are very rich in protein, vitamin E and dietary fibres.
Almonds consumption, for instance, can significantly bring down LDL cholesterol levels and decreases the risk of heart diseases.
Walnuts also have high antioxidant activity that comes from vitamin E, polyphenols and melatonin. With loaded omega 3 fats, walnuts work as organic antidepressants and a safeguard against different kinds of heart diseases.
Along with incredible taste and aroma, hazelnuts are also rich with unsaturated fat, vitamin B, C, minerals, magnesium, and more. Hazelnuts’ high concentration of antioxidant compounds gives essential protection against cell damage, oxidative damage and the potential risk of cancer.
The combination of monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats in these nuts are two essential dietary fats containing essential fatty acids that our bodies don’t produce on their own. So moderate consumption of these fats during the Christmas holidays is a healthy way to keep your body’s nutritional levels in check.
Mixed spices
Mixed spices in Christmas pudding are an incredible source of aromatic antioxidants, which protect your body from any kind of oxidative damage. These mixed spices contain pieces of cinnamon, ginger, cloves, cardamoms, pimentos, and so on!
Cinnamon contains anti-inflammatory properties that help your body quickly repair from tissue damage or infections. On top of that, cinnamon is an excellent anti-biotic, that enables you to keep your blood sugar level lower.
Another spice commonly used in Christmas pudding is cloves, and fibre-rich cloves are a great source of vitamins and minerals.
Ginger is a powerful medicinal, anti-inflammatory property that can help you with Osteoarthritis immensely.
Allspice or pimentos are also a good anti-bacterial, carminative property that aids digestion and relieves gas, bloating, cramps, and nausea.
Let’s sum up. Rich in fruits and flavours, Christmas pudding is not just irresistibly delicious Christmas dessert but also has surprisingly high nutritious value. The good news is, you don’t have to wait till Christmas to enjoy the pudding, and you can enjoy our traditional and gourmet pudding any time in any season!
Pud For All Seasons was created by inspirational mum Karen Kelly, who had a passion for baking and cooking and the opportunity to exercise her talent in the kitchen. Check out how she turned a family recipe into the basis of a successful business.
Want to stay fit during Christmas season? One of the best ways to ensure you are eating healthy food during the Christmas period is to lower our intake of a number of foods that you don’t really need. Check out the article for more details tips on how to eat well and stay fit this Christmas season.
