Christmas “battle” of calories: kurabye, melomakarona and vasilopita

Few have so far resisted the temptation: the pre-holiday mood has done its job. The “attack” on the healthy diet of the inhabitants of Greece began with traditional Christmas sweets: honey macaroons, muffins with raisins and nuts, etc.

Just nine days before Christmas, there are only a few houses in which there are no melamacarons, kurabye and puffs beloved by everyone (an analogue of “brushwood”, δίπλες). However, how many calories are in the sweets that we traditionally make at Christmas and New Year, and which can be eaten with less “regret”? The experts tried to answer this question. So.

Melomakarona
The undisputed leader in the preferences of the inhabitants of the country, which is adored by young and old, and also has the least amount of calories. Melomakarona (1 piece) weighing about 35 g contains 190 calories, which increase if the cookies are sprinkled with powdered sugar. If cooked according to a traditional recipe, then their advantage is that they do not contain animal fats, but they contain monounsaturated fatty acids (olive oil), which are valuable for the cardiovascular system. In addition, olive oil, cinnamon, orange, and honey are good sources of antioxidants.

Recipe:

Kurabye cookies

Awe-inspiring rival of honey melamacarona – kurabye, this is a real personification of … high-calorie horror! And this is because 1 piece of cookies weighing about 40 g contains 240 calories, which also increase if sprinkled with powdered sugar. In addition, kurabye contains saturated fatty acids, which come from animal butter and egg yolks, raising “bad cholesterol”.

Recipe:

Puffs (“brushwood”)

A “traditional” New Year’s dessert contains about 87 calories per 30 grams. The main ingredients of the treat are flour, eggs, olive oil, honey, cinnamon and walnuts, which contain both monounsaturated fatty acids (olive oil) and polyunsaturated fatty acids (walnuts). Their antioxidant value is high as their ingredients i.e. olive oil, walnuts and cinnamon are famous for their antioxidant properties.

Recipe:

Royal pie (“Vasilopita”)

Table decoration, vasilopita, is prepared in different versions. If you take a pie prepared according to a traditional recipe, then in its 100 gr. contains about 350 calories and 20 grams of fat. This special dessert (on New Year’s Eve) is made with quite a lot of butter and enough eggs, resulting in a higher saturated fatty acid content.

Recipe:

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