The festive atmosphere and tempting dishes typical of the Christmas season can make many lose control. Given this situation, the Costa Rican Social Security Fund (CCSS) calls on the population in general, but above all on those with a chronic illness such as diabetes, to exercise a moderate consumption of tamales and respect the meal times so as not to decompensate.
People who are obese, diabetic or hypertensive, for example, should not consume more than one tamale a day, and its consumption should be accompanied by a salad or vegetables, to favor digestion and tolerance of fat. They should also be particularly careful with the salt intake.
Jéssica Navarro, specialist in Medicine and Nutrition of the health area Alajuelita, explained that the Christmas season is characterized by a change in eating habits and is traditionally associated with excesses in food and drinks, which could have an impact on the dreaded gain of weight, in an over effort of the digestive system with possible sequelae such as acidity, heaviness, slow digestion and in the worst case, decompensation that puts health at risk.
This is encouraged by the calorie, fat and sugar content of the Christmas dishes, as well as the drinks that are taken to accompany them.
Given this scenario, what is suggested is the consumption of low-fat proteins and prepared in the oven or steamed, such as: turkey, chicken, fish and lean meats that are accompanied with salads, vegetables, and fruits.