December is, for many Romanians, not only the month of gifts and winter holidays, but also a period of excessive sweets, something that worries them and makes them look for ways to overcome such temptations.
December was also called the month of gifts, given according to a tradition with biblical roots, associated with the feast of the Nativity, on December 25.
“Christmas is a holiday of a social nature, where gifts are valued. Celebrations of the birth of Christ have become the biggest gift-giving event, because for Christians, gifts express their joy at the birth of Jesus.” shows a recently published study by researchers from universities in Portugal.
Sweets, associated with holiday gifts
According to the biblical account, the Magi came to worship the Baby Messiah, guided by a star, bringing him offerings of gold, frankincense and myrrh. The gifts of the sages can be seen as both symbols and useful things.
Gold was considered a symbol of royalty, but it was also a universal currency of Antiquity, frankincense could symbolize divinity, but it was also used as a perfume and for hygiene, and myrrh was seen as a symbol of suffering and death, but it also had a practical role, being used as an antiseptic and sedative.
More than two millennia after the biblical event, the tradition of Christmas gifts has endured and even expanded, adding other meanings and new customs. Among the most common holiday gifts, especially to children, are sweets.
In the month of December, the shops offer a variety of sweets, some of them being gift-wrapped or marked with symbols specific to the holidays. Candies, chocolate and cookies made their way into the gift baskets given to carolers or in the packages distributed by institutions and companies to employees.
The absence of muffins and assorted cakes seems inconceivable from holiday tables, while tree candies are among the basic decorations of the decorated tree. Muffins and assorted cakes have also won a place of honor on the traditional Christmas table.
Many Romanians are worried that they have ended up consuming sweets in abundance not only at Christmas, but the entire month of gifts is, for them, also a period of food excesses.
What methods do Romanians use to reduce the consumption of sweets
On social networks, some of them tell how they try to reduce the temptation of sweets during this period, seen both as a threat to well-being and as an expense that they end up regretting. A Romanian tells that he manages to avoid buying sweets if he doesn’t go shopping hungry.
“Many times I’ve gone shopping before I eat in the evening and come back with packets of wafers, biscuits and guess what. I’ve bought gifts for people when they come to visit (chocolates) but I’ve already eaten three of them.” he says, on the Reddit platform.
Someone else claims that a solution to give up sweets is to cook them at home, less often and less sweet, using more fruits in the composition.
“I started making my own cakes as I feel like it. I add pancakes and other things and even though the ingredients are expensive, I calculated that I still break even”he says.
Another Romanian also prefers to prepare his sweets at home, reasoning that, despite the offers in stores, the prices have increased, and the ingredients are no longer of the expected quality.
Another person believes that it is useful for everyone to set a sugar limit for themselves in order to take care of their health.
“Then you go to the sweets department and you see: ‘How much sugar is there?’. You see 51 grams per hundred grams and you say: ‘Oops, that’s too much sugar, I’d better refrain’. That’s my daily reasoning. There’s too much sugar in a milk chocolate… you’re better off getting a dark one, which you might not even like as much and you won’t devour it all.”she believes.
Another says he decided to abstain from sweets for a month and noticed changes.
“I used to eat a lot of sweets when I was a child, but after the abstinence period I didn’t feel the need to eat sweets as much. Now I eat very rarely.” he noted.
A Romanian woman claims that she was addicted to sweets, but managed to adopt healthier alternatives.
“It’s hard to let go, I actually start drooling when I see them. Before I got pregnant, I decided to eat healthier and read the labels. I sweeten myself with bananas and fruit, in general. Dates are really good. I decided it’s ok to eat them sometimes. During this Christmas fast I only ate a biscuit. For Christmas I decided to make myself a cake, with sugar, but at least I know what ingredients I put in it”she states.
Sweets, additional expenses
A Romanian states that he estimates that he pays approximately 3,000 lei annually on sweets, the biggest expenses being for torture. Others have managed to exclude sweets from the shopping cart for economic reasons.
“I’ve noticed that the total purchases increase by 15-25 percent if we take a few sweets and I don’t see the point. We often replace them with nuts and dried fruits, such as cranberries, or popcorn if we want something salty at the movie. If we really want something sweet, we make it at home or “afford” a cookie from the store, but rarely”someone notes.
Some netizens claim to use food tracking apps that help them monitor how much sugar they consume on a daily basis.
“I’ve given up most sugary products, but even if you’re saving initially, as soon as you discover the clean options with healthier sweeteners, the expenses go up,” he observed.
Some say they’ve replaced commercial sweets with pudding, rice pudding, homemade oatmeal or hot chocolate.
“I mainly consume fruit and dark chocolate. Otherwise, when I want to indulge, once a month, I either cook myself or buy from a quality pastry shop. I exclude sugar from coffee or tea, I’m used to drinking them without sugar and now I don’t even feel like adding honey. And I don’t keep snacks in the house, or juices. I only take it when I have people visiting”adds a netizen.
“When you’re craving something sweet, drink a glass of water,” recommend someone else.
How to fight the craving for sweets
Nutritionists say overeating is common during the holidays, and common causes include increased social gatherings, which include meals with friends and family, but also food temptations and stress.
The cold season, with low temperatures, favors cravings for foods high in sugar and fat, which can have a negative impact on health, says nutrition and health platform The Somatic Clinic.
Its specialists recommend eating sweets in moderation, but point out that completely avoiding certain foods can have the opposite effect, often leading to excesses.
“The best strategy is to limit sugar consumption at festive meals and avoid it for the rest of the week. If you’re tempted by dessert, watch the portion: you can enjoy your favorite cake or pie, but in a smaller amount. Eating slowly and savoring each bite helps control caloric intake and provides emotional satisfaction.” show nutritionists, according to The Somatic Clinic.
One of the most important nutrition tips for the winter holidays is hydration.
“Drinking water throughout the day can help you avoid overeating at Christmas as it provides a feeling of satiety and reduces appetite,” informs the site.
Sticking to a holiday diet isn’t enough to stay healthy, exercise is key. Walking after meals, especially brisk walking, stimulates the metabolism and aids digestion, helping to burn calories.
Stress related to food can lead to excesses, and sweets and snacks eaten between meals contribute, in turn, to overeating.
“Instead of opting for chips or ice cream, stock up on healthier snacks ahead of time, such as nuts or fresh fruit. At main meals, focus on protein and vegetables instead of large amounts of potatoes or desserts. Protein provides satiety and reduces the need to eat between meals.” show the specialists.
