Treat yourself! How to maintain healthy eating while enjoying sweets this holiday season

The holidays are a time for family, fun and certainly food. While many seek to indulge in the sweet treats that are offered during the holiday season, many worry about staying cognizant of their eating during these annual celebrations.

An expert at the University of Alabama at Birmingham Marnix E. Heersink School of Medicine offers health-conscious tips on how to enjoy the treats of the holiday season while maintaining a balanced diet to avoid negative effects physically and mentally.

What is "too much" sugar?

"Many dietitians recommend following a guideline set by the World Health Organization and United States Dietary Guidelines for Americans, which is to limit 'added' sugars in the diet to less than 10 percent of total kcalories," said Caroline Cohen, Ph.D., a dietitian in the UAB Department of Family and Community Medicine. "For an adult consuming 2,000 kcalories per day, that would be the equivalent of 12 teaspoons."

While those who are interested in watching their caloric intake might find use in measuring everything they eat during the holidays, it is important to remember that maintaining a healthy relationship with food should be a priority for everyone.

"Labeling desserts as 'bad' may facilitate harmful behaviors such as over-restriction of certain foods and possible binges later," Cohen said. "I encourage adults and children alike to consume desserts in combination with more satiating foods, ones that are higher in protein, fiber and healthy fat as a strategy to maintain balance to the sweets you may enjoy."

Proactively determining the threshold of what qualifies as too much sugar may often be numerical; however, listening to your body and eating mindfully will help you avoid eating sweets to excess.

"The excitement of a holiday or party can cause people to eat their food too quickly, which can cause painful bloating and gas," Cohen said. "Furthermore, intake of a large quantity of any kind of food is likely to cause an upset stomach. When that food is high in sugar, some of those sugars may not be fully digested."

Navigating the holiday season "healthily"

With so many food-centric gatherings happening during the holidays, Cohen says enjoying a few sweet treats should be a pleasant experience and not one to cause stress over.

Cohen suggests practicing mindful eating by focusing on the experience rather than just the food itself. This can help people treat themselves strategically.

"Sitting down and enjoying the food and company without distraction, eating slowly, and tuning into your body's hunger cues are all ways that can help you remain intentional in your eating," Cohen said. "Prioritize which treats you want to sample most and stick to only those items, whether it be an appetizer, a dessert or a cocktail."

While being selective may allow for individual choices to be made in context of the environment, Cohen says taking control over food contributions can allow for health-conscious choices to be made.

Consider incorporating healthy options into the items one brings to the gatherings. Having an impact on what can be controlled allows access to healthy choices. Those with preexisting health conditions should make sure to adhere to the guidelines their physicians and dietitians set for them when it comes to food this holiday season.