Tips to Staying Healthy this Holiday Season from Rabin Medical Center

It’s the 3^rd day of Hannukah and while we remember the victory of  Maccabees and the miracle of the oil that burned for eight days, most of us have celebrated by embracing the holiday tradition of dining on doughnuts (sufyganiyot) and potato pancakes (latkes.)

The average jelly doughnut contains 500 to 600 calories, and the potato pancakes between 150 to 200 calories each, and few latke fans stop at one! Sigal Frishman, head of the nutrition and diet unit at Rabin Medical Center, suggests the following when preparing your greasy goodies:

• Substitute oven-baked vegetable quiches and veggie latkes.
• Use canola oil
• Deep frying is recommended as the food absorbs less fat that during regular frying
• Put the fried foods directly onto  paper towels in order to absorb as much oil as possible and
• Think a mini doughnut or munchkin is a safer option? These have more calories because their surface contains more oil! Instead cut a regular doughnut in half and share with a friend.

Frishman also suggests baking doughnuts in the oven rather than frying them.

Her suggested recipe, as seen in the Jerusalem Post, suggests: 20 grams of yeast, three cups of flour, three tablespoons of sugar, 1/3 cup of canola oil, one egg, a cup of water, half a teaspoon of salt, a shake of ground nutmeg and half a cup of 1% milk. Use low-calorie jam for a filling.

When you’re done spinning the dreidel, take a spin a class or go to the gym. It may help alleviate the guilt from all the chocolate gelt.

Happy Hannukah from American Friends of Rabin Medical Center!