Now that you know how many calories and carbohydrates are in your favorite alcoholic drinks, here is the nutritional content of the traditional Trinidad Christmas staples:
Pastelle:
serving size 86g :Calories 129 Calories from fat 67; Total Carbohydrate 11.9g; Dietary Fiber 1.3g; Sugars 2.3g; Protein 4.4g
Ponche De Creme:
serving size 151g: Clories 272, Calories from fat 63. Total carbohydrate 35.0g; dietary fiber 0.00g; sugars 0.0g; protein 12.1g chloesterol 125.5mg total fat 7.0g, saturated fat 3.6g
Sorrel:
serving size 200g/7.05 OZ: Calories 106 From fat4; Total Carb 25.9g; dietary fiber 0.5g; sugars 23.3g; Protenin 1.1g
Egg Nog:
serving size 283g/10oz : Calories 452 from fat 175; Total fat 19.4g Saturated fat 10.3g; Cholesterol 268mg; Total Carb 31.8 Dietary fiber 0.1g Sugars 11.6g Protein 19.1g
Black Cake:
serving size 132g. Calories: 369. Calories from fat: 122. Total fat: 13.5 g. Saturated fat: 7.0 g. Cholesterol: 86.6 mg. Sodium: 173.7 mg. Total Carbohydrate: 48 g. Dietary Fibre: 2.9g. Sugars: 28.3g. Protein: 4.9g
Ginger beer:
serving size 259g/202g : Calories 207/211 Claories from fat 2; Total fat 0.2g Saturated fat 0.1g Cholesterol 0.0mg; Total carb 52.9g/53.6g Dietary fiber 0.9g Sugars 46.6g Protein 0.5/0.7g
Stewed Pigeon Peas:
serving size 128g: Calories 126 From fat 44; Total fat 4.9g Saturated fat 0.7g. Cholesterol 0.0g. Total Carb 17.4g. Dietary fiber 4.4g Sugars 2.9g Protein 4.5g
As you can see it is pretty easy to pile on the calories, and pounds, with just one meal on Christmas Day!
Some tips to help you survive the Christmas Season as Carnival looms ahead:
*Plan your meals in advance especially on Christmas day, look for low fat versions of your favorite dishes, you will be surprised how little changes in ingredients lower calories without sacrificing taste.
*Try to incorporate low carb options as side dishes; instead of rice, potatoes and macaroni pie try sautéed broccoli, salads and baked vegetables(hold the butter); the less choices you have to indulge in the bad foods the better for you.
*Turkey is low in fat and calories as long as you avoid the skin and only eat the white meat, ham lovers eat more turkey!
*Skip the heavy creamy sauces, dressings and condiments, for salads use a vinaigrette. Hold up on the coconut milk in your pigeon peas.
*Don't plan to diet in the New Year and use that as an excuse to binge, eat sensibly and watch your portion sizes ;eat smaller portions as larger portions laid out on your plate make you feel as if you need to clean your plate. Reality is that when the New year rolls around you will only have SIX weeks until Carnival.
*Decide where you are going to "splurge on your calories", will it be alcohol, carbs, sweets or maybe a teeny bit of each?
*Eat protein first and carbohydrates last, yes this goes against the whole West Indian thinking where you savor your meat for the end of the meal.
*Avoid friends and relatives that guilt you into eating "just one more piece of cake", better yet eat at home before going to Christmas parties and limes so when you show up you will be full.
*Even if you stuff your face silly on Christmas day, remember that you do not have to continue doing so! One day of excess does not mean your diet is shot to hell, just put it behind you and continue to eat sensibly the next day.
* Try and get some exercise during all this eating and drinking, go do some laps at the mall!
