Champagne, chocolate, fatty foods… The institute takes a look at these end-of-year holiday essentials, explaining to us scientifically whether they are good or bad for your health.
- Chocolate, champagne and fatty foods have no health benefits.
- These products should be consumed in moderation during the end-of-year holidays.
- In addition to a healthy and varied diet, it is recommended to do at least 30 minutes of physical activity per day.
In a little over two weeks, the holiday meals will follow one another. So, to get through this period well, without taking too many risks for your health, the National Institute of Health and Medical Research (Inserm) takes stock of the beliefs surrounding the essential products of the end-of-year festivities.
Chocolate and champagne, not so good
If you have an advent calendar, you may have already started eating one! Chocolate is one of the star foods of Christmas, but is it good for your health? Léopold Feuzeu, Inserm epidemiologist, responds to Detox Channel : very high in calories, sweet, fatty, chocolate would not really be beneficial. “The antioxidant properties of chocolate come mainly from the polyphenols it contains and also a little from micronutrients, indicates Léopold Feuzeu. Some epidemiological studies suggest, although there is no certainty, that the consumption of polyphenols is associated with beneficial effects for health. These studies were carried out with polyphenol intakes ranging from 500 to 1,500 milligrams per day. To have such intakes of polyphenols from chocolate, you would have to consume 30 bars of 100 grams of dark chocolate.”. In other words, it is impossible to have the beneficial effects of chocolate with normal – or even excessive – consumption of chocolate.
Second party essential: champagne! In a study published in 2013researchers indicate that it could be beneficial for memory, with a protective effect against cognitive decline. However, as indicated Detox Channel“This study suffers from several methodological biases. First of all, it is very difficult to extrapolate results obtained in animals to humans (…). In addition, the rats given champagne seemed to perform better than the others, but the difference was not statistically significant.”. In addition, champagne is alcohol, a drink that should be consumed in moderation.
Obesity: watch out for fatty foods which increase the risk
Finally, during the holidays, we often eat fatty foods. But be careful not to overdo it because they are harmful to your health. The immediate risk is weight gain and, in the long term, obesity. According to the World Health Organization (WHO)it has more than doubled among adults worldwide since 1990. A fatty diet, associated with a sedentary lifestyle and lack of physical activity, can also increase the risks of many diseases, particularly cardiovascular ones.
Despite everything, the holidays remain an opportunity to treat yourself, but it is better to do it in moderation and, above all, not to continue beyond this period. The ideal, during or outside the holidays, is also to do at least 30 minutes of physical activity every day and eat healthy and balanced.
