Fruitcake and Good Nutrition During the Holidays

Good health and fitness is not just a craze anymore, but a way of life for many. Especially during the holiday season, it’s hard to find the right food options and still enjoy the spirit of the season. Desserts and sweet treats of all kind abound during the holidays. If you can maintain your fitness schedule, a sweet little indulgence won’t be cause to worry. Fruitcake, a holiday tradition in many cultures, is an excellent way to enjoy some Christmas cheer without falling off the good-nutrition-bandwagon. There are many different kinds of fruitcake, but the common thread in all the different varieties is that each offers a bold layering of flavors and textures. Because of its richness, fruitcake a special treat that can be slowly enjoyed in small quantities – a boon for those who are trying to maintain good new nutrition throughout the holidays.

Whether you prefer light fruitcake or dark fruit cake, most ingredients in all fruitcakes are nutritionally dense. Light fruitcakes give a nod to their European origins and include lighter colored dried fruits such as apricots and golden raisins. One light fruitcake of German origin, Stollen, includes the addition of yeast to make the cake light in texture as well. Panforte, an Italian fruitcake, uses preserved citrus peel which adds a complex layer of flavors, even when used in small amounts. With the movement of civilization towards the ‘Spice Islands’, fruitcakes were heavily influenced by new natural resources available. The addition of spices, dark rum and darker fruits such as dates, figs and raisins gave way to dark fruitcakes. These dark fruitcakes offer even more flavor options with the addition of many spices. The common thread with all fruitcakes – either light or dark – is their richness.

So can something so rich actually be nutritious? When compared to other types of desserts, fruitcake does come out on top, nutritionally. The main ingredients of many desserts are processed flours, sugars and fats. The primary ingredient in fruitcake is…fruit! The secondary ingredient in fruitcake is nuts. Both fruit and nuts are nutritionally superior to flour, sugar and fats.

When choosing a sweet during the holidays, fruitcake offers many advantages to consider for those trying to be healthy. Fruitcake is so rich that a small serving provides a wallop of flavor that can’t be found in most desserts. Because its primary ingredients are fruit and nuts, fruitcake offers more fiber and less fat and cholesterol than many other traditional holiday treats. With all of it’s good flavor and texture, you can feel good about choosing fruitcake as your special treat during the holiday season.

This article provided by Hale Groves, providing fresh fruit baskets, gift baskets and Florida oranges and citrus, including delicious Florida fruit gifts, Honeybells, Ruby Red Grapefruit, Valencia Oranges, Tangerines and more! On the web at HaleGroves.com.

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