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Besides spending time with your family, Christmas dinner also offers a wide variety of remarkable healthy dishes - unless you overdo it. Do not be surprised, even if you associate the dinner with heavy, unhealthy, high-calorie meals, you have another choice - not less nutritious and healthy dishes, from the main course to desserts and drinks.

Ham with Honey

Ham may not be the best choice for your body, but the honey some of its varieties contain makes it more nutritious. Honey adds a remarkable special taste to meat, and, besides, it is healthy. A study by scientists from the University of Illinois confirms that honey contains antioxidants that can protect our body from heart diseases. The findings were presented at the Congress of the American Chemical Society in Boston in 2002. Honey has a lot of other advantages: it helps conservation of meat and protects it from harmful sub-products which are formed during its oxidation - something that may increase the risk of heart diseases. The study also showed that the spectrum of antioxidants found in honey is comparable to those found in fruits such as apples, oranges, strawberries and bananas. Of course, large quantities of ham are unhealthy, regardless of the quantity of honey in it. Therefore, you should be careful with its use.

Dark green vegetables

Whether in a salad with pomegranate and walnuts, or served with various sauces, dark leafy greens are a very good way of putting something healthy on the table. Green vegetables are very nutritious, according to a study published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry in 2002. They are a rich source of the antioxidant lutein, which helps fight many diseases. An earlier study shows that lutein may reduce the risk of beige spots that are caused by age-related degeneration and cause blindness. Lutein is also found in other leafy vegetables such as spinach.

Turkey

Turkey is nutritious, whichever part you choose. Both dark and white meat contains tryptophan, an amino acid which is vital for good health because our body needs the production of certain proteins. Afterwards, it uses them to help build new cells. Tryptophan can help the immune system against autoimmune diseases. Other foods rich in tryptophan are nuts, cheese and shellfish.

Bread stuffing

Do not hesitate to reach for bread on Christmas. Its crust is a rich source of antioxidants that fight cancer, according to a 2002 study published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. Experts confirmed that the crust of bread, used for stuffing the turkey, is very healthy. Scientists have analysed the antioxidants contained in bread made from rye yeast and wheat flour after baking. They found that antioxidants are produced during baking - eight times more in the crust than in the rest of the bread. Applying these antioxidants on human gastric cells, they found that these are most effective in increasing the level of phase II enzymes.

Canned corn

Canned corn is a typical dish on the table. It contains more nutrients than fresh corn, according to a 2002 study published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. Thermal processing of canned corn significantly increases phenolic compounds which are naturally present in maize. They help fight diseases such as cancer and heart disease.

Herbs and spices

Make your holiday meals even more spicy by adding herbs and spices such as dill, thyme and mint. Besides the fact that they are usually used to give additional flavour, they are full of antioxidants. Just one tablespoon of fresh oregano contains the same amount of antioxidants as a medium apple, according to a 2002 study. Experts studied 39 plants, confirming that dill, garden thyme and rosemary have important anti-cancer properties. The findings were published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.

Oranges

Oranges and tangerines are gold mines of vitamins. According to a 2005 study, they contain vitamin C and beta-cryptoxanthin which are antioxidants. Scientists from the UK confirmed that the use of fruit and vegetables containing beta-cryptoxanthin and vitamin C, like a cup of fresh orange juice every day, may help prevent joint inflammation.

Pumpkin pastry

If you are trying to decide what to have for dessert, try a sweet potato pie or pumpkin pastry. They are rich in alpha and beta carotene, which can be turned into vitamin A. Vitamin A, which is found in carrots, contributes to healthy eyesight. Pumpkin is another rich source of beta carotene, according to a study published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. Spinach is also rich in this ingredient, and you can prepare a spinach pie, as well.

Coffee

A hot cup of coffee is a great way to finish your Christmas dinner. People who drink four to five cups of coffee a day are less likely to become ill from cancer of the mouth or pharynx, according to a 2010 study, published in the journal Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention. The study was carried out by neuroscientists at the University of Lisbon and showed that regular consumption of up to four cups of coffee protects against memory loss. Coffee is good for the heart system. 27,000 women took part in the study for 15 years, and its results confirmed that those who drank one to three cups of coffee a day reduced their risk of heart disease by 24%. However, if the amount of coffee is greater, this percentage decreases.

Hot chocolate

If you have to choose a healthy Christmas drink, hot chocolate is on top, along with red wine and tea, which are very rich in antioxidants, according to a 2003 survey. Scientists studied the benefits of chocolate and found that the concentration of antioxidants in cocoa is almost twice as much as in a glass of red wine, two to three times more than in green tea, and four to five times more than in black tea. The results were published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. However, in order to be healthy, avoid adding sugar to this drink and use skimmed milk.