As the Christmas and New Year celebrations kick into high gear, health experts are sounding the alarm on dietary pitfalls that could turn festive joy into health woes. Clinical nutritionist and digital health creator, Fiyinfoluwa Odukoya, alongside mental health nutritionist Jane Ibude, have outlined critical habits to avoid for a healthier season.
Top 10 Unhealthy Eating Habits to Ditch This Christmas
In an exclusive interview with Guardian Life, Fiyinfoluwa Odukoya detailed ten common but damaging eating patterns that emerge during the holidays. He emphasized that the season's excitement often leads people into unhealthy routines with lasting effects.
Overeating and Large Portions: With an abundance of rice, meats, snacks, and desserts, many Nigerians overload their plates. Odukoya explains this stretches the stomach, slows digestion, and causes bloating, discomfort, and fatigue.
Eating Too Fast: At parties and gatherings, people often eat quickly without recognizing fullness. This habit leads to overeating because the brain lacks time to signal satiety, resulting in indigestion.
Skipping Meals Earlier in the Day: Some avoid breakfast or lunch to "save space" for a big Christmas meal. This practice slows metabolism, triggers extreme hunger, and often ends in binge-eating later.
Excess Intake of Sugary Foods and Drinks: Christmas cakes, sweets, fizzy drinks, and sugary cocktails spike blood sugar levels, fuel cravings, contribute to weight gain, and increase metabolic disorder risks.
Eating Too Many Fried or Fatty Foods: Festive staples like puff-puff, fried chicken, meat pie, chin-chin, and dishes cooked in reheated oil are high in unhealthy fats. These increase inflammation and cause digestive discomfort.
High Salt Consumption: Marinades, seasonings, processed snacks, and party foods contain hidden salt, elevating sodium intake. This can worsen hypertension and increase bloating.
Heavy Late-Night Meals: Consuming heavy meals late when the body is preparing to rest slows digestion, disrupts sleep, and promotes fat storage.
Excess Alcohol Intake: Overindulgence in alcohol, especially sugary cocktails, dehydrates the body, increases appetite, and adds empty calories that harm metabolic health.
Over-reliance on Processed or Fast Foods: The festive rush leads some families to abandon cooking for processed options. These meals lack essential fibre, vitamins, and minerals, while their additives contribute to fatigue and weight gain.
Little or No Physical Activity: Celebrations often involve prolonged sitting, travelling, and relaxing. Inactivity slows metabolism and amplifies the negative effects of unhealthy eating.
Critical Food Safety Mistakes to Avoid in December
Mental Health Nutritionist, Jane Ibude, highlighted that the festive season is also rife with repeated food-safety errors many families overlook, leading to food poisoning.
She identified leaving cooked meals out at room temperature for over two hours as a major risk, as this allows bacteria to multiply rapidly in the "danger zone." Other common errors include:
- Reheating the same pot of stew or rice multiple times.
- Storing hot food directly in the refrigerator.
- Using the same utensils for raw and cooked food, increasing contamination risk.
- Washing raw chicken in the sink, which spreads bacteria.
- Storing large pots of soup without portioning, keeping food warm too long.
- Poor handwashing, leaving leftovers uncovered, and refreezing thawed meat.
- Storing raw meat above cooked food in the fridge, allowing juices to drip.
How to Enjoy Festive Meals Safely and Healthily
Ibude assures that with small adjustments, Nigerians can enjoy Christmas and New Year meals without compromising their health.
She advises eating smaller portions using smaller plates and aiming for balanced meals with vegetables, protein, and moderate carbohydrates. Staying hydrated is crucial, especially when consuming salty foods or alcohol.
For food storage, refrigerate leftovers within two hours in shallow containers for faster cooling. Always store raw meats at the bottom of the fridge and ensure reheated meals are served steaming hot.
Adopting a "wash as you go" cooking style is essential, cleaning utensils and surfaces that touch raw meat immediately. Disinfect all cooking areas after meal preparation.
Incorporating simple physical activity like walking or dancing after meals helps. She warns against skipping meals before parties, as it leads to overeating, and stresses that proper rest is vital since tiredness negatively affects appetite and food choices.
By practicing safe storage, mindful eating, and proper hygiene, families can fully enjoy the festivities while avoiding preventable health problems.
