Which Traditional Christmas Dishes are Healthiest
Anna Schmidt
2026-03-15
8 min. read
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Christmas is rich in traditions - starting from decorating the tree and sharing the wafer, through singing carols, gifting, to preparing 12 Christmas dishes. The custom requires that every dish be tasted, to ensure happiness in the coming year. However, not all dishes are equally healthy. When the first star appears in the sky, one can sit at the table and enjoy the taste of the prepared delicacies, but it is important to choose the healthiest ones.
Kutia – ingredients, nutritional value, and characteristics
A traditional dish such as kutia is often prepared for the Christmas feast in eastern Poland. It is a typical dish of Ukrainian, Lithuanian, Belarusian, and Polish cuisine. Kutia is also known as a sacramental dish in Orthodox religion. It consists of shelled wheat, poppy seeds, honey, and sweets. Some versions also include milk, cream, and candied orange peels. Kutia can be high in calories, depending on the ingredients used, but on average, 100 g of kutia contains: – 220 kcal, – 6.2 g of protein, – 9.9 g of fat, – 29.2 g of carbohydrates, – 5.8 g of dietary fiber. A serving of kutia in a bowl is about 250 g, which is about 550 kcal. Kutia and Makowiec have similar ingredients – poppy seeds, nuts, and honey. On the Polish market, a poppy seed mass in a can is available, which contains poppy seeds, artificial honey, sugar, and sweets. The addition of food acids is a preservative factor, and the poppy seed mass is pasteurized. However, it can be prepared at home with good ingredients and real honey, which has health-promoting properties.
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