The Festival of Lights includes many wonderful traditions. Some of them are not as healthy as they could be, but that does not mean you need to skip them altogether to stay on track with your wellness journey.
With a few simple changes, you can have your healthiest holiday yet.
Commencing at sundown on Thursday, December 7, and culminating with nightfall on Friday, December 15, this year, Hanukkah is a celebration rich in history and tradition that spans eight nights.
It is a celebration lasting for eight days and nights, remembering the re-dedication of the holy temple in Jerusalem.
The length of the holiday honours the time oil, used to purify the temple for its re-dedication, burned. The oil left in the temple enough to last but one day, continued to burn for eight.
From healthier latkes to “Do It Yourself” toppings, we have your festivities covered with five tips to have a healthier Hanukkah this year.
Bake instead of deep-fry
Just because Hanukkah celebrates the miracle of oil, does not mean you need to consume an abundant amount of it.
It might be difficult to imagine, but you can still enjoy a wide variety of delectable Hanukkah treats without deep-frying them. Instead, we recommend baking your doughnuts and latkes for a healthy Hanukkah.
Get wise on your toppings and dressings
Toppings and dressings can often be a source of extra calories and additives that you simply do not need in your body. Switch latke sour cream toppings to a probiotic-rich natural or Greek yoghurt.
Or even home-made apple sauce – simply cook diced apples in a little water over the stove and purée them for a healthy dose of pectin to marry the savoury with the sweet. Make your own salad dressings rather than buying a bottle.
Extra virgin olive oil and lemon are such a nutritious and perfect base for most salads. You can add in balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard, minced garlic and herbs.
There are so many recipes online and it takes just a few minutes to whip up an authentic and nourishing dressing.
Serve water-based drinks
Next to removing fried foods from your holiday table this season, getting rid of sugar-heavy beverages is the easiest change to make to have a healthier Hanukkah.
There are an overwhelming amount of benefits to reducing your overall sugar consumption.
From reduced health risks to better brain power to clearer skin, there is a reason for everyone to lower their sugar consumption for themselves and their loved ones.
Replace white potatoes with sweet potatoes
When making potato-filled dishes, opt for sweet potatoes instead of white potatoes. Sweet potatoes are slightly lower on the glycemic index than their white counterparts and have more fibre, as well as higher values of vitamin A and beta carotene.
They are also more flavourful, too.
Swop out the dairy
Dairy products can be replaced with plant-based versions. Vegan sour creams and cream cheeses are rich and creamy while vegan cheeses come in many flavours and melt, too.
There are numerous types of dairy-free kinds of milk available: soy, rice, almond, coconut and hemp.
They are delicious and contain less fat and calories than dairy milk.