Overindulging in Christmas food for a couple of days during the holidays is not a big deal – but it cannot go on indefinitely, said Biomedical Professor Mihkel Zilmer.
“A few weeks before Christmas, various nutrition advisors start speaking up, trying to dampen the festive mood by talking about the great dangers awaiting if you eat too much. Then they give the typical advice to go for a walk after eating, but that is not some profound wisdom,” said Mihkel Zilmer, professor of medical biochemistry at the University of Tartu.
Zilmer stressed that having relatively hearty meals for a couple of consecutive evenings during Christmas and perhaps overindulging a little does not cause any metabolic issues – no matter what is said otherwise.
“Human metabolism is not a fragile weather vane; it can handle this. But do not do this for seven days straight, with pork and sauerkraut on the table every day. If you ask whether this will ruin your health, the answer is no, but some existing health problems might flare up. Don’t be afraid to eat a bit more for one or two evenings. Sit with your family, chat, and eat at a leisurely pace,” Zilmer told the radio show “Huvitaja.”
According to the professor, pork and sauerkraut make an excellent combination because meat is a complex food.
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