Five tips for a healthy Christmas!

Christmas is the time for indulgence, for sweet treats and rich food. Good intentions fly out of the window and, before you know it, your scales are showing a few extra pounds.

It's tempting to postpone your diet until January, but by then you're back to square one. But don't despair, there's a solution!

Here are our tips for a healthy Christmas:

1. Bake your own sugar-free cookies and gingerbread
2. Save calories on side dishes with our Shileo rice and pasta
3. Make your own punch
4. The final flourish: sugar-free desserts
5. Go for a long, bracing walk, even in the depths of winter

Bake your own sugar-free cookies and gingerbread

Saying no to cookies and co. is probably the biggest problem. The simplest solution is to bake your own sugar-free, gluten-free cookies. They are lower in calories if you use our Shileo powdered erythritol, which has no calories at all, unlike regular sugar.

Save calories on side dishes

Even if your Christmas dinner is more substantial than usual, you can save on side dishes. Simply substitute some steamed vegetables and our Shileo noodles and rice. In fact, they both have up to 70% fewer calories than regular products and, with their high-fiber content, are guaranteed to keep hunger pangs at bay.

3. Make your own punch

Mulled wine contains a surprising amount of sugar. Believe it or not, most shop-bought types have a whopping 10 g carbohydrates per 100 ml - and 90 calories. In other words, one cup contains about 200 calories.

You can save on sugar and calories by making your own mulled wine. You can either use dry red wine, lemon juice, Shileo powdered erythritol and spices or, for a quick fix, make a cup of hot, sugar-free winter tea and add a splash of lemon juice or rum to taste.

Naturally, as alcohol may interfere with your body's ability to burn fat, you can always choose an alcohol-free option.

4. The final flourish: sugar-free desserts

For a change, whip up a sugar-free dessert with one of our pudding mixes. You can heat them up or whisk them into a mousse, whatever you prefer. Our pancake mix can easily be adapted to make waffles. Why not add a pinch of Lebkuchen spice to make it extra special? Get creative - use your imagination to tweak them to your taste.

5. Go for a long, bracing walk

Particularly in winter, it's tempting to snuggle up in a blanket and doze on the sofa. But you'll feel better if you get out and savor the winter air; go for a long, bracing walk and up your steps for the day.

I hope you enjoyed our five tips for a healthy Christmas.