Christmas Food : Why It's Safe To Eat, Drink And Be Merry

Christmas food is often high in fat and calories, but it doesn't have to be that way. We reveal the hidden health benefits of a festive lunch.

TURKEY
This classic Christmas roast contains high levels of protein but without the quantities of saturated fat in red meat.

It has lower cholesterol levels than chicken, pork or beef and is good for children as it contains selenium and zinc to help growth and development plus vitamins B3 and B6.



RED CABBAGE
Research has found cabbage and similar vegetables may help reduce the risk of some cancers.

Brightly coloured fruit and vegetables often have high levels of antioxidants and this is true of red cabbage with its vitamin C content which leads to healthier skin, cartilage and bones.

CHESTNUTS
Unlike other nuts chestnuts contain little fat but instead have large amounts of carbohydrates and vitamin C.

Vitamin B6 and folate are also present which combine to lower the risk of heart disease.

Chestnuts contain high levels of antioxidants, thought to counter the development of some diseases.



DARK CHOCOLATE
Cocoa is a good source of magnesium and contains a variety of bioactive compounds believed to lead to good cardiovascular health and prevent joint problems.

The compounds seem to help reduce high blood pressure and cocoa flavanols appear to make the blood less sticky and prevent blood clots. Dark chocolate is also thought to help lower cholesterol. Chocolate is a high-calorie food however and should be eaten in moderation.

RED WINE
It is suggested moderate consumption of alcohol helps protect against heart disease and is believed to prevent Type 2 diabetes. Red wine contains the compound resveratrol, which has cardio-protective properties.

Experts are still debating the effect of alcohol on the body.



Extracted by MATTHEW COUSSENS from The 100 Foods You Should Be Eating by Glen Matten (New Holland, £9.99). http://www.express.co.uk

Shopping For A Christmas Gift For Your Boss

Christmas shopping for your boss can be a difficult situation. First of all, purchasing a Christmas gift for your superiors at work is considered to be somewhat of a faux pas unless the gift is being purchased by a group of employees. While giving Christmas gifts to subordinates is generally an accepted practice, gifts from individuals to a boss can be viewed as an attempt to gain advantages such as promotions or favorable projects or treatments. As a result, care should always be taken when giving Christmas gifts to a boss. This article will take a look at situations in which giving a Christmas gift to your boss is acceptable and will offer tips for Christmas shopping for your boss.



While an individual giving a Christmas gift to the boss is not an accepted practice, it is acceptable for a group of employees to purchase a joint gift for their boss. As an example, a boss who oversees the work of a small group of employees may receive a gift from this small group collectively and this would be considered appropriate. In this way the gift is viewed as a gesture of appreciate from the members of the group and not an attempt by one of the members to gain favorable treatment. However, even in this acceptable situation, Christmas shopping for your boss could be quite difficult.



The first area of concern when Christmas shopping for your boss is setting a budget. If you are shopping for a gift from a large group of people, it is a good idea to collect the money first and then use the amount collected to set the budget for the gift. You may ask for a small amount of money, typically around $5-$10 from each person and once the money is collected you can search for items which fall within your budget. You should not exceed the amount of money you collected because it is not considered acceptable to ask for additional money if you had promised to stay within budget. Most people have a great deal of shopping to do and being asked to contribute additional money can be somewhat of a hardship for them. However, it is considered acceptable to spend a little less than the budget as long as you refund the remaining money equally to everyone who has contributed. For example, if you spend $20 less than you collected from 20 people, you should return $1 to each person who contributed. If you are the person shopping for the Christmas present, you may have to exercise some common sense and make judgment calls if necessary. For example, if you collect $120 and purchase an item which costs $121.04, including tax, you may opt to simply pay the additional amount yourself if you are able to do so. The additional amount is quite small and if the gift is appropriate, it might be worthwhile to incur this small expense for the sake of purchasing a perfect gift which is within your budget.



Christmas shopping for a boss can also be rather difficult because you may not know what to buy for your boss. If you are not particularly close to your boss and do not often socialize with him, you may not know a great deal about his interests. In this case it might be a good idea to either ask someone who knows him better to do the Christmas shopping or at least ask them to provide you with a few gift ideas. Other employees may know the boss better because they have worked with him longer or because they participate in activities such as company softball games with him. In either case, they can probably provide you with some insight into his interests which would help you select a gift he will appreciate. If you are unable to come up with a suitable gift idea, a gift certificate to a local restaurant is always an appropriate, and appreciated, Christmas gift.