19/12/2025
๐Christmas & Diabetes
Christmas is a time to enjoy yourself and have foods that you wouldnโt regularly eat at other times of the year.
But being a time of celebration, many traditional Christmas foods tend to be higher in saturated fat, free (added) sugars and salt than our usual diets.
If you have diabetes, or are close to someone who does, you may find that this time of year can make managing your diabetes more difficult, with so much tempting Christmas food and drink to choose from.
Try these tips to make your festive occasions a little healthier:
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Fill up on the array of vegetables available, but watch out for added festive extras like honey as these are free (added) sugars.
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Watch out for the hidden sugars in condiments such as cranberry sauce, mint sauce and prawn cocktail sauce.
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Keep an eye on your portion sizes. Fill up your plate with vegetables first, as we tend not to get enough of them.
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Serve yourself, if possible. Someone else might pile certain foods high, so choosing your own portions for starchy carbs, protein and healthy fats will help you keep your blood sugar levels on track.
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If youโre having a dessert, try to stick to one portion and think about what itโs served with. Could you have natural yoghurt instead of double cream for example?
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Donโt drink on an empty stomach, as this increases your risk of hypos if you manage your diabetes with insulin or some other medications.
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Try to limit the amount of processed meat you eat. This includes pigs in blankets, gammon, hams, pรขtรฉs, and cured meats. Eating these foods frequently could raise your blood pressure and increase your blood cholesterol.
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Steam your vegetables rather than frying or boiling - this doesn't use oil so keeps the fat content and calories lower and keeps more of their vitamins and minerals. Including veggies at each meal can help prevent your blood pressure and blood cholesterol from going up over the holidays.
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We should all try to eat less salt to help manage our blood pressure. Try using reduced-salt stock cubes to make your gravy, swap salted for unsalted nuts and check the labels on your snacks for less salty options.
And finally, make healthy choices (but still enjoy yourself!)
Eating and drinking at Christmas time is part of the fun, and there is no need to completely miss out on certain foods and drinks. Try to be mindful about your choices, and donโt worry if you eat a little more than usual, or have some less healthy options.
A small break from your usual routine is normal over Christmas - enjoy it, and simply return to your regular habits the next day. Why not escape the hustle and bustle, or dodge the family row over the remote control on Boxing Day, and go for an exhilarating walk in the countryside? Or set aside a couple of hours to get off the sofa and move about cleaning the house?
Everyone should be making healthy food choices year-round, but the festive period shouldn't affect your long-term health or diabetes management as long as you plan for it and get back on track as soon as possible.
Please click on the link below for some healthier versions of your favourite Christmas recipes
https://www.diabetes.org.uk/living-with-diabetes/eating/christmas-food-and-diabetes
