What should I eat after consuming Christmas calories?

How to combat the undesirable effects of unhealthy food

- CHESHIRE QUE, RND, RN, RD

Have you indulged in calorie-laden, sugary, and fatty-rich food in the past days and nights? By now, you may be feeling bloated

have gained some weight, and have accumulated unwanted fat in the belly area. Perhaps you are beginning to experience other symptoms such as acne breakouts, sluggishness, sneezing attacks, watery eyes, and more. All these are a result of increased inflammatory reactions in the body. Inadequate consumption of plant food sources from fruits and vegetables during the festivities can lead to inflammation in the body due to the intake of pro-inflammatory food ingredients like refined sugars, unhealthy fats, animal meat products, and dairy products. We can’t deny that these food ingredients are part and parcel of traditional holiday dishes such as ham, lechon, morcon, spaghetti, macaroni, or traditional fruit salad, leche flan, bibingka, puto bumbong, and more. They are all very rich and flavorful. Unfortunately, indulgence in these holiday dishes has health consequences.

Here are two of the world’s most potent anti-inflammatory functional foods that you should take regularly, especially after Christmas and well into the entire New Year.

Matcha, green, black, and oolong tea