Top Holiday Foods for Taste and Waist

Go ahead and celebrate. Some everywhere-at-the-holidays foods can in fact leave you healthier and trimmer, come January 1. Reach for these:

• Roasted nuts: The healthy fat in about 6 walnut halves will trigger a chain reaction that slows the rate at which your stomach empties. The result: You'll feel satisfied and less likely to go on an all-night prowl around the dessert station.


• Chocolate: If you go for the best stuff, you'll find that just a little will satisfy you. Make it as dark as you can take it -- the healthiest chocolate contains a higher percentage of cocoa (at least 70%) and doesn't contain milk fat or solids.


• Pomegranates: Bursting with flavorful little seeds, a single pomegranate weighs in at about 200 calories and holds 11 grams of fill-you-up fiber and 5 grams of protein. If that's not enough, this fruit may decrease blood sugar levels and keep blood pressure down, and it may even fight aging inflammation in your body.


• Cranberries: Mix dried cranberries into your granola or pair with walnuts, top fish (and turkey, of course) with fresh cranberry relish, and spread some cranberry sauce on your turkey sandwich. In addition to zingy flavor, you'll reduce your risk of heart disease and maybe protect yourself from cancer.


• Clementines: Bet you can't eat just one of these candy-sweet little fruits. Even better: At 35 calories apiece, you don't need to limit yourself.