Who doesn’t love the Easter holidays!
But Easter is not without its challenges to our health and lifestyle choices. Easter often means family gatherings or parties with oodles of temptingly rich foods, alcoholic drinks and let’s not forget eating vast amounts of chocolate!
Have you noticed supermarkets start stocking chocolate eggs sometimes as early as February? This just seems to encourage a longer indulgence of sweet treats.
Remember, it is OK to indulge from time to time. Nutrition experts believe making certain foods off limits and depriving yourself usually causes increased cravings and horrible feelings of guilt when you do eat them.
You can have a balanced relationship with chocolate, by choosing quality over quantity. In fact, dark chocolate in moderation actually has some health benefits. Dark chocolate is high in minerals including iron and magnesium. It is lower in added sugar and fat than milk and white chocolate. It is high in antioxidants which helps lower bad cholesterol and supports the immune system. The flavonols it contains have a positive effect on brain function. Researchers have also found it reduces the stress hormone cortisol. The higher the cocoa content (50 to 90%), the more beneficial flavonols and antioxidants the chocolate contains.
On the downside chocolate is a high-energy, high kilojoule food, and eating large amounts can result in excess weight gain which is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease. White and milk chocolate have little nutritional benefit and are high in processed sugar and saturated fat.
Also, chocolate overload can trigger migraines in some people and result in digestive upset. If you suffer from irritable bowel syndrome or diarrhea, too much chocolate can make them worse. Chocolate is acidic, which can lead to heartburn and acid reflux issues.
Feeling a bit blah after eating too much chocolate? Try counteracting that chocolate overload with the Grainfields fermented drinks. They have an alkalising effect on the body and contain good flora to help aid digestion so they sure can come in handy for times like this!
Another way of counteracting or even avoiding chocolate overload is exercise- a backyard cricket game, a walk in the bush, a walk along the beach or a swim in the ocean. These are activities are usually enjoyed by families here in Australia over the Easter break. Interestingly, a study by the University of Exeter showed that workers cut snacking on chocolate at work by half after talking a short 15 minute walk.
Are you catching up with the family or friends over the Easter holidays? Holidays are the times that we like to feast – at home, picnics in the park or at the beach.
A grazing platter is a great way of having a selection of foods with something for everyone that combines healthy foods with a few indulgent treats.
Firstly, you need a nice large board to place all the foods on – wood is ideal and always looks earthy and rustic.
Some ideas of what to put on your Easter grazing platter-
Cheeses, nuts, olives, thinly sliced meats, relishes, breadsticks, crackers, dried and/ or fresh fruits. Grapes are easy to eat from the bunch and always look nice. Bite sized fruits like berries or cherries always work well and cherry tomatoes. Dips such as hummus, guacamole or beetroot. Carrot and celery sticks are great too– the possibilities are endless! Lastly– well it is Easter—so some sweet treats that could be added include -chocolate dipped strawberries, broken up slices of dark chocolate, Phytoberry Balls (see recipe) and Grainfields Bars cut into bite sized pieces.
Check out some of the great recipes using Grainfields products on our website which would be a nice inclusion on the grazing platter– such as dips- beetroot, guacamole, hummus, protein/ phytoberry/ bliss balls and cashew cheese (which is a nice alternative to cheese for those who cannot have dairy products).
Although it seems like the obvious thing to do, don’t go “cold turkey” after your holiday week by cutting out the carbs. This will only make the sugar cravings worse. Consuming lots of sugar can leave you with fluctuations in your blood sugar levels. Eating good quality sources of low GI carbohydrates such as oats, quinoa, sourdough, wholemeal pasta and sweet potato at breakfast and lunch, will ensure your hunger is satisfied and keep the energy levels up for work and focus during the day.
Eating fresh fruit can help satisfy cravings for chocolate/ sweet foods. Although fruit is sweet with its own naturally occurring simple sugars, it also contains fibre to fill you up plus antioxidants and vitamins. The Grainfields Hemp, Zing and Protein live food bars are a convenient food snack containing natural sugars from raw foods which may help satisfy cravings. The fermented ingredients add good flora to your diet and they are packed with superfoods like pea protein, nuts, hemp and AGM foods amazing fermented mushroom blend. If you do eat chocolate or “bad” foods, its OK we are all only human! Just make a conscious effort to balance it out by eating some healthy foods and getting some exercise.
Source – John Hopkins Medicine, Cocoa in Human Health and Disease- David L.Katz, Kim Doughty and Ather Ali. PMC Pub Med Central. Short walks cut sugar consumption in half—University of Exeter.
