Christmas comes but once a year and, with it, the customary parties and celebrations. As well as the religious, family, social and consumer aspects of these celebrations, food plays an important role. At Christmas time we have a number of special meals that we do not normally eat during the rest of the year.  Here in Catalonia, a typical Cristmas may involve eating escudella and carn d'olla, a meat soup and stew respectively, cannelone, stuffed chicken, and the ring-shaped cake of the king....) And then there are nougats, marzipans and rolled wafers. These are just some of the sweets that may be put on the table to finish the meal. Normally, they do not replace the dessert, but appear after a dessert of fresh fruit (fresh pineapple, fruit salad, etc...) or even after a cake dessert (for example, the ring-shaped cake). Small slices or cubes are usually cut from the torró,  or bars of nougat, so that a variety of different types can be tried by all those sitting around the table. This is a terrible temptation for those of us with a sweet-tooth, since it allows us to keep eating these tasty extras almost continously between lunch and dinner.

But, we should be aware that they can seriously unbalance our diet.

Remember that both nougats ( torró )   and marzipan are made in the same basic way and contain approximately 50% of sugar and almonds. So, here is some advice so that you can enjoy these special meals without abusing and so maintain a balance in your diet:

Avoid very abundant aperitifs and energy and fat-rich food. Try to select fish, shellfish or vegetables that will represent a minor fat or energy intake (for example, cockles, Mediterranean mussels, cuttlefish, shrimps, prawns, olives, artichokes or asparagus, etc...)

Remember that an aperitif is supposed to be an introduction to a meal, not the meal in itself.

Try to choose a first course which complements the main course, ie light first courses with more consistent second courses or vice-versa

For example, a suitably balanced Christmas menu could be:

Soup with pasta shells and pine kernels

Chicken stuffed with dried fruit and nuts, with a salad of endive, celery and radishes

Cannelones

Grilled or boiled king prawns with asparagus and vinaigrette

If you have to watch your weight, or the level of cholesterol in your blood is a little high, you should try to prioritise fish over meat.

Make a habit of eating fresh fruit for dessert; pineapple, melon, grapes, slices of orange with sweet wine and pine kernels, or a fruit salad of kiwi and banana with orange juice and mint, etc.

Agree on a time to get up from the table and go out for a walk.

Plan a light dinner when you have had a big lunch, or vice-versa.

Avoid drinking too many carbonated or alcoholic drinks. One or two glasses of wine can accompany a meal for those who are accustomed to it. Wine and cava (especially brut cava, the driest), practically do not contain sugar.

If you have to control sugar, remember the light  or sugar-free options of soft drinks.

In relation to special dietary products for diabetes or obesity, it should be noted that, in the majority of cases, the sugar or energy contents do not differ very much between traditional products and the dietary ones (for example, the sugar contained in the torró d'Alacant nougat is between 50 and 55%, aproximately, while the sugar contents of its dietary equivalent is between 45 and 55%, aproximately). It should also be noted that the use of fructose in the elaboration of nougats must be calculated as sugar and not as an artificial sweetener, since fructose is a sugar.

30g of nougat (a typical portion) contains approximately some 15g of sugar, about the same as a 150g apple or a 30g slice of bread.

3 rolled wafers are about the equivalent in sugar content to 20g of bread.

The sugar contents of different types of nougats and of marzipan are quite similar.

Caramel and Alacant style torrons (nougats) are more entertaining to eat because their texture makes them difficult to chew, so their flavour can be relished for a longer time.

Remember, that enjoying a meal does not have to mean long afternoons of indigestion...

Enjoy the parties and enjoy your meals!