Fit Fare

New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day is the perfect day to start your new year off on a healthy note. Luckily, plenty of traditions exist that are not only healthy but considered lucky as well.   

• In the south, black-eye peas and greens are a New Year’s favorite. Eat greens, they say, and you’ll have an abundance of cash in the New Year. Collards, cabbage, mustard greens and other greens have plenty of fiber and antioxidants that’ll not only keep you regular but also mop up free radicals that may be circulating in your body. Black eye peas, also known as Hoppin’ John, will bring you everything you need in the New Year. It’ll also bring you soluble fiber, fiber proven to help lower bad cholesterol levels.   
• The Cuban and Spanish tradition is to eat 12 grapes at midnight, each grape representing each month of the year. Grapes can be an excellent source of phyto­chemicals.  
• In the mood for fish? You’ll like the German and Denmark traditions. In Germany, they eat herring at midnight for good luck. The fish of choice for Denmark, is boiled cod. Both fish hold plenty of the essential fatty acid, Omega-3 fatty acid. So, eat up. This can be a good start to a healthier diet. The American Heart Association recommends that we eat two servings of fish per week.   

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Hoppin’ John   

Collard  Greens    

New Year’s Traditions  

How do you celebrate the New Year? Comment below, and share your food traditions.