Less than 30 kcalories for an 80g serving and one of your 5-a-day, Brussel sprouts seem to be making a comeback. These green globes of goodness deserve a dedicated quarter of your dinner plate this Christmas. They’re a great source of fibre, which is good for your gut health, and you also get vitamin C, helping to reduce tiredness and fatigue.
Whether you enjoy them whole or shredded:
- Cook them lightly and quickly to preserve as much of the vitamin C as you can.
- Eat them soon after preparation so they don’t lose more vitamin C as they are exposed to the air and light.
- Download the VVPC plate model to ensure you get balance on your Christmas plate.
Building your VVPC Savvy Plate
Start to assemble your plate with the hero sprouts first, then the other veg, so that half of your plate is bouncing with veggie nutrients. Then move on to your turkey (or plant-based alternative), potatoes and trimmings. Filling half your plate with veg means you’re less likely to overdo the richer items that are higher in fat and calories!
Choose the bigger roast potatoes, as they will have absorbed less fat. And potatoes provide vitamin C as well as fibre – leave the skins on. Use a little rapeseed oil or spray oil rather than butter, lard, dripping or goose fat to cut saturated fat.
Eat slowly and enjoy every bite. Leave room for some refreshing juicy clementines to round off your meal and cleanse your palate.
