Some foods and beverages practically define the holiday season -- gingerbread, potato latkes and mulled cider, to name a few.
A sip or a bite can instantly immerse you in the spirit of the season and conjure up the image of a fireside huddle, a tree-trimming party or freshly fallen snow... even if you're in the same kitchen you inhabit all year long!
Looking for a luscious way to diet? Try eDiets DeliciouslyYours meal delivery plan. It's success delivered to your front door. And right now, we're even offering a convenient 5-day "Weekends Off" plan! Sound enticing? Click, click, click!
But perhaps the best example of a drink unique to this time of year is eggnog. Unfortunately, the traditional rendering -- with about 325 calories and 20 grams of fat per glass -- is hardly worth celebrating at all. So is it another thing you can't have on a diet? Maybe not...
Get Nutrition in Your Nog
Here's news deserving of applause -- those enterprising commercial dairy producers now offer a fat-free variety of nonalcoholic eggnog. So you take in fewer calories (about 100 per cup) and zero fat, while you reap the nutritional benefits of this creamy drink (400 milligrams of calcium per cup). That's almost one-half the 1,000 milligram recommended daily amount of calcium for adults 18 years and older.
Calcium is important for preventing bone loss and osteoporosis, but it's also needed for numerous other functions, like transmission of nerve impulses, muscle contraction and relaxation, as well as regulation of normal heartbeat. Plus, recent research shows that a diet including low-fat dairy products can help weight loss (now that's good news).
Rich and Creamy Recipes
Sip a glass of rich-tasting, fat-free eggnog sprinkled with cinnamon or nutmeg, if desired. Or try it in one of the following easy recipes for instant holiday flair:
Eggnog Smoothie:
Combine 1/2 cup fat-free eggnog, 1/2 cup crushed ice and 1/2 banana in a blender; puree until smooth. (180 calories, 0g fat, 39g carbohydrate, 6g protein, 1g fiber)
RSS/XML
