Last updated : Monday, November 16, 2009

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Naughty or Nice? The Best and Worst Holiday Foods

'Tis the season to slip into your skinny jeans! But between the six Christmas parties and five-foot long buffets, it's hard to avoid packing on post-holiday weight. So how can you stay slim without sacrificing all the sensational foods the season has to offer? I went to Registered Dietitian, Cynthia Sass to get her simple swaps for the season!

The Best vs. Worst Holiday Foods:

Naughty Appetizer: 5 Clubhouse crackers with 5 slices of sharp cheddar cheese = 600 calories

Nice Appetizer: 1 Cup of raw veggies with 1/4 cup of hummus = 125 calories

Why you should swap: Just 1 ounce of cheese packs over 25 percent of the maximum amount of saturated fat you should have per day. So avoid bingeing on the cheddar platter. In addition, 75 percent of Americans don't get the minimum recommended 3 cups of veggies per day. Try to sneak more vegetables in wherever you can!

Naughty Appetizer: 6 Pigs in a blanket appetizers = 564 calories

Nice Appetizer: 3 Ounces of cooked jumbo shrimp cocktail = 70 calories

Why you should swap: Just 6 pigs in a blanket pack as many calories as almost an entire pound of bacon. If you tend to get the holiday blues, stick with shrimp as an appetizer – they're a good source of omega-3 fatty acids, which studies link to a boost in mood and lower rates of depression.

Naughty Main Dish: 6 Ounces of dark meat turkey with skin = 464 calories

Nice Main Dish: 6 Ounces of white meat turkey breast without skin = 322 calories

Why you should swap: 3 Ounces of meat is the ideal portion, the size of a deck of cards in thickness and width. Going with white meat turkey without the skin saves 18 grams of fat.

Naughty Side Dish: 1/2 Cup of candied sweet potatoes = 279 calories

Nice Side Dish: 1/2 Cup of green bean casserole = 60 calories

Why you should swap: This swap saves 219 calories. You'd have to go for a 40 minute brisk walk after dinner to burn that number of calories. 

Naughty Dessert: 1 Slice of pecan pie =  500 calories

Nice Dessert: 1 Slice of pumpkin pie = 260 calories

Why you should swap: Pumpkin is overflowing with beta-carotene, the plant form of vitamin A, which is a major anti-aging antioxidant that keeps your skin looking gorgeous and gives your immune system a major boost. As a side note, not eating the crust on any pie saves you 110 calories per slice, that’s 880 calories per pie.

For more great nutrition tips for the holiday season check out iMag's Food Section. 

Cynthia Sass, MPH, RD, is a Manhattan-based nutritionist and the creator & co-author of the "Flat Belly Diet." She is also the co-author of, "The Ultimate Diet Log." In addition, Cynthia is a Contributing Editor for SHAPE Magazine and a Nutrition Consultant for the Philadelphia Phillies. For more information check out her Web site.

 

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