Healthy food swaps for Christmas

Everyone knows that Christmas is a time for family, good times and overindulgence! It's probably one of the hardest times of the year to have self-control – keeping your portions small and moderating your sugar intake (ah Christmas sweets)!

But hey it's Christmas and we don't want you to miss out on all the fun! Plus, life is all about balance, right? Swapping naughty Christmas food for healthier alternatives can be a great way to enjoy the festive season without compromising your health goals.

We’ve put together six helpful swaps to help you this Christmas:

Bypass the big pink leg and grab a slice or two of lean turkey breast.

Turkey is a very lean source of meat and is quite high in B-group vitamins, which help with energy production. The problem with ham is mostly the curing process – it's soaked in brine, which is salty water, so it's the salt content that's an issue.

A big slab of Christmas pudding can put you on a fast track to an afternoon siesta. It's certainly rich and sugary and if you have a massive slice, you're definitely not going to feel great.

The upside to a summer Christmas is our delicious fruits - cherries, grapes, mangos, blueberries and raspberries. Make a lovely fruit salad or fruit and cheese platter to nibble on after the main meal.

If your family Christmas table is decorated with bowls of lollies, there's a good chance you'll mindlessly snack on them all day and fall into a post-sugar slump by the end of the day.

Try to think about quality over quantity. Buy some nice dark chocolate and have small amounts of it. Concentrate on eating it, enjoying the taste and eating slowly. Because dark chocolate is not as sweet, you won't be enticed to mindlessly eat it all afternoon.

We all love to nibble on something before the main meal. Especially something with crunch – crackers and chips!

Swap the chips out for a bowl of nuts like cashews, almonds, and macadamias. They are all good options to munch over with the first few wines.

Get some flavour and fizz without the calories by putting frozen fruit pieces in sparkling mineral water or soda water.

Or freeze ice cube trays with fruit and drop it into your water, fruit like lime, lemon or kiwi fruit all work well.

Potato salad or coleslaw is a classic Aussie accompaniment to the main meal, however often drenched in mayo.

To cut the calories, added sugar and saturated fat (without sacrificing flavour), make your own creamy dressing made with Greek yoghurt, olive oil, a squeeze of fresh lemon and some Dijon mustard.

It not only gives the dish a protein boost but it also provides some gut-loving probiotics.