Christmas is an awesome time of year, especially when it comes to the food part!

But unfortunately… it’s also the time of year where we tend to eat (or overeat!!) & drink things that aren’t exactly the most nourishing for our bodies!

This can lead to things like bloating, exhaustion, blood sugar imbalances, mood swings, sleeping problems… & overall – can take a real toll on your health… all while you’re meant to be celebrating! …ehhh no THANK YOU!

The good news is that there are a lot of simple swaps you can make in order to have an oh-so-delicious + good-for-you Christmas!

Here we go…

SWAP 1

Swap White Wine FOR Red, Organic wine

Red wine is A LOT better for you than white as red grapes contains high concentrations of the compound “Resveratrol” (the same compound found in blueberries). Resveratrol is an anti ageing, anti-inflammatory compound which helps protect against free radical damage, lowers blood pressure & can even kill off cancer cells.

Why Organic? Grapes rate high on the list of most sprayed foods & actually came in 6th place in this year’s Dirty Dozen. Something else extra special about organic red wine? – it’s been said that organic contains 80% more resveratrol than conventional wine!

SWAP 2

Swap Olive Oil FOR Coconut Oil, Tallow or lard.

Okay so you’re likely going to be reading a lot of Christmas recipes who tell you to cook with olive oil. The thing is, olive oil does NOT have a high smoke point & it will go rancid if cooked at high temperatures, causing harm to your body. Coconut Oil, Tallow & lard are ALL stable under high heat (plus they taste awesome & are great for you!)

A good quality Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil can of course still be used raw for dressings & drizzles – but always make sure to purchase Olive Oil that is stored in a dark glass bottle, if it’s in clear plastic the light will react with the oil & cause it to go rancid!

SWAP 3

Swap Dairy Milk Chocolate FOR Raw Chocolate

Pasteurised cows milk is very harmful to your body & the process destroys “Phosphatase” which is the enzyme that helps us absorb Vitamin D! On top of this, cow’s milk can also be hard work for your digestive system & can lead to things like nausea, bloating, farting..seriously…& diarrhoea (and that’s just the tip of the iceberg). Milk Chocolate is also obviously filled with refined sugar which to sum it up in a teeny tiny sentence, is responsible for causing havoc on your liver & gut, as well as insulin resistance, weight gain, acidic Ph levels, hormone imbalances & even cancer.

Raw chocolate on the other hand is made with raw cacao powder. Raw cacao is loaded with magnesium, iron, Phytonutrients, antioxidants & fibre. See our recipe for Paleo Raw Chocolate or our Paleo Chocolate Mousse – you’ll love em!

SWAP 4

Swap Pancakes & syrup FOR Bacon & Eggs

Even if you’re planning on making banana pancakes, they will still contain a lot of sugar – ESPECIALLY when you have it with maple syrup!! As we just mentioned… sugar is MOST DEFINITELY not our friend! And even though this sugar is natural (not refined) – at the end of the day your body sees them the same way & they will still cause you harm.

Organic Nitrate Free Bacon & Organic grass fed free range eggs in our books are equally (if not more so) delicious + they contain the perfect amount of healthy fats & proteins. Your hormones will thank you later on 🙂

SWAP 5

Swap Normal Potatoes FOR Sweet Potatoes

The humble spud has been a favourite around the world for ages & while they are a good source of potassium as well as copper, manganese & magnesium – Potatoes have a very high Glycemic Index which means they cause your blood sugar levels to spike & then plummet soon after causing you to experience a crash followed by a craving for something sweet (the same thing happens when you eat refined sugar). They also contain anti nutrients that can actually create holes in the gut lining & damage red blood cells. Sweet potatoes on the other hand have a low GI & are rich in a number of nutrients. They also contain beta carotene which can help slow down the ageing process.

SWAP 6

Swap Salted Nuts FOR Raw Activated Nuts

Unless you find activated nuts with pink salt – stay away from salted nuts.

Standard salt (table salt/white salt) is completely refined and contains literally zero minerals! Not only does it contain NOTHING good for you, white salt can lead to an acidic PH & fluid retention.

Why activated? Well in a nut shell (ha!) if you don’t activate (soak in water) your nuts they will contain enzyme inhibitors which can prevent your body from absorbing specific minerals. Long term, this can lead to mineral deficiencies.

Check out our post on how to easily activate your own nuts!

SWAP 7

Swap Sour Cream FOR Coconut Yoghurt

Like the milk chocolate, Sour cream is also made with pasteurised cows milk (read swap # 3 on why this is bad) – Coconut Yoghurt on the other hand is generally made with 3 ingredients… Coconut milk, tapioca & live cultures… So not only does it act as a probiotic, it is also loaded with Medium Chain Triglycerides (or MCT’s) which your body is able to use right away as energy rather than store it for later usage.

SWAP 8

Swap Cows Cheese (yellow cheese) FOR Goats Cheese (white cheese)

Now as you probably guessed, cheese is made from Milk – so why is Goats milk better than cows milk?? The fat globules in goat’s milk are one ninth of the size of those found in cows milk, which makes it easier to digest… + Goats milk is also high in riboflavin which is essential for the body to gain and maintain energy.

Because goats milk is still a dairy product, we only recommend a little bit & only if you can tolerate it.

SWAP 9

Swap Gluten breads FOR homemade nut & seed breads

Not as traditional as the white fluffy bread… but 1000 times better for your gut. Gluten is a protein found in wheat – & thanks to commonly occurring contamination, oats & buckwheat – that our bodies can’t actually digest. While gluten sensitivity varies from person to person – it’s not just a concern for people with coeliac disease. It causes inflammation, affects the immune system & could potentially be the root cause of many health issues.

Seed breads can easily be made with almond meal, seeds, psyllium husk & eggs + they still work great for a Christmas feast!

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So there you have it! Our 9 swaps for a healthier, happier & more energetic Christmas this year!

We hope you have a fantastic & very very Merry Christmas – & of course – any Qs – pop them in the comments below or shoot us through an email!

Crystal & Anth xox