The surprising nutritional benefits of Christmas lunch!

Turkey

It’s usually the star of the festive feast, but the fact it’s traditional (and potentially big enough to feed the whole family, in-laws and the dog – with some left over for Boxing Day curry) isn’t the only reason to eat it. It’s high in protein, with one serving typically providing 65% of your recommended daily allowance, and also a good low-fat meat. This bird also boasts health-supporting B vitamins and selenium, which helps immune function and is a known cancer-fighting anti-oxidant.

Brussels sprouts

They don’t tend to do well in the veg popularity stakes, but love or loathe them, sprouts are bursting with goodness.

Yes, they can make you - ahem - windy (partly because they contain a complex sugar called raffinose which human guts can find hard to break down), but they’re also a good source of fibre, folic acid, vitamins A, C and K and relatively high in protein for a green. Research has also found they may help lower cholesterol.

Chestnuts

Usually paired with brussels sprouts, chestnuts are Christmas’ natural fertility booster.

“Chestnuts are one of the best sources of beta-carotene, crucial for enzyme production for egg fertilisation,” says Neema Savvides, nutritional therapist at Harley Street Fertility Clinic.

“It’s also essential for the healthy growth and development of the foetus. Chestnuts are also super-rich in vitamin C, known for enhancing sperm quality and protecting the DNA within it from damage, making conception more likely.”

Cranberry sauce

Ok, so that shop-bought jar isn’t going to be as healthy as a punnet of fresh cranberries, but this much-loved Christmas accompaniment still has some health-enhancing qualities.

As well as being a good digestion-aiding fibre source, they’re loaded with immune-supporting and gum health-boosting vitamin C, and anti-oxidants linked with helping ward off cancer and heart disease.

Roast potatoes

The humble tattie is often overlooked in the health stakes. Fair enough, it doesn’t scream ‘superfood’, but potatoes are actually quite good for you and packed with vitamin B6, which is useful for healthy hair and skin as well as playing a key role in supporting countless body function systems, including the cardiovascular and nervous systems, potassium – good for blood pressure – and fibre.

Trouble is, once deep-fried, coated in butter or goose fat those benefits are replaced by a big portion of saturated fat and calories. Roast your King Edwards with a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkling of pepper and herbs instead and you’re onto a health-boosting, and still tasty, winner.

Carrots

A splash of vibrant orange amid a plate of brown, beige and green… you’ve got to love carrots. But as well as adding colour to meals, these sweet beta-carotene packed veg are incredibly good for you, supporting eye health (yes, the saying’s true), helping to prevent cancer and slowing down cell ageing.

A Harvard University study also found that people who regularly ate carrots (more than six a week) were significantly less likely to suffer a stroke.

Roast them in honey and you can impress your lunch guests and boost their health prowess as honey is famed for its immune-supporting, antibacterial and anti-inflammatory qualities. 

Pigs in blankets

Despite trying REALLY hard, we just can't find any nutritional benefits in pigs in blankets. Not that we're going to let that put us off.