{"id":4387,"date":"2025-03-02T23:16:41","date_gmt":"2025-03-02T23:16:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/in-greece.com\/index.php\/2025\/03\/02\/do-you-know-what-to-eat-and-what-to-avoid-on-clean-monday\/"},"modified":"2025-03-02T23:16:41","modified_gmt":"2025-03-02T23:16:41","slug":"do-you-know-what-to-eat-and-what-to-avoid-on-clean-monday","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/in-greece.com\/index.php\/2025\/03\/02\/do-you-know-what-to-eat-and-what-to-avoid-on-clean-monday\/","title":{"rendered":"Do You Know What To Eat And What To Avoid On Clean Monday?"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n<\/p>\n
\n
Make the best choices for Clean Monday by knowing what you\u2019re consuming.<\/strong><\/h4>\n
Clean Monday marks the beginning of the most important Christian fast. How many of us think of fasting as something \u201chealthy\u201d and an opportunity to lose weight? But is it so?<\/p>\n
Let\u2019s examine the Clean Monday<\/strong> menu to see how nutritional it is.<\/p>\n
Lagana<\/strong><\/p>\n
\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n
It is unleavened bread sprinkled with plenty of sesame seeds<\/strong> and accompanies all Lenten dishes, both savoury and sweet.<\/p>\n
Nutritionally, lagana<\/strong> is dominated by carbohydrates, monounsaturated fatty acids, or \u201cgood\u201d fats as we usually say, and vitamin E.<\/p>\n
Did you know that one slice of lagana<\/strong> has about 90 kcal?<\/p>\n
Tip!<\/em> If you don\u2019t want to consume to many calories and increase your carb intake from the lagana<\/strong>, limit yourself to one slice, which you can combine with a tablespoon of taramosalata.<\/p>\n
Taramosalata (Tarama)<\/strong><\/p>\n
\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n
Its main ingredient is fish eggs (mainly carp or cod), prepared with olive oil, onion, lemon, bread, and\/or potato. Tarama<\/strong> is rich in high-biological-value proteins and vitamins A, D, and zinc.<\/p>\n
Calorically, tarama<\/strong> is approximately 130 kcal\/1 tablespoon.<\/p>\n
Seafood and shellfish<\/strong><\/p>\n
\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n
The main dish of the day\u2014cuttlefish, calamari, octopus, shrimp, and mussels\u2014has an important place on Clean Monday.<\/p>\n
Calamari are usually eaten fried (214 kcal\/100 g) and less often grilled (90 kcal\/100 g), while octopus<\/strong> is mainly cooked boiled or grilled (200 kcal\/100 g). Shrimps are also usually eaten fried (300 kcal\/12-15 small), baked, or boiled (70 kcal\/12-15 small). Mussels and other shellfish are usually boiled and\/or steamed (115 kcal\/ 100 g of flesh or 10-12 large).<\/p>\n
They are rich in proteins of high biological value, essential amino acids and vitamin B12.<\/p>\n
Tip!<\/em> Grill or boil seafood instead of frying it to reduce the calories and fats you consume. As you can see above, fried seafood can have twice as many calories.<\/p>\n
Other appetisers<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/figure>\n
In addition to these, your table can include various appetisers such as dolmades (184 kcal\/100 g), melitzanosalata (100 kcal\/1 tablespoon), boiled potatoes (80 kcal\/1 medium), fava beans with olive oil<\/strong> (169 kcal\/100 g), olives<\/strong> (45 kcal\/10 small or five large), etc.<\/p>\n
While these may tantalise your palate, they can certainly double the caloric intake of this meal.<\/p>\n
Tip: To start satiety, try to limit yourself to two appetisers and a large salad at the beginning of the meal<\/em>.<\/p>\n
Sesame halva<\/strong><\/p>\n
\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n
It cannot be missing from the Clean Monday table, and rightly so. It is made from tahini (melted sesame) and often contains sugar syrup, fructose, stevia, or some other sweetener.<\/p>\n
It is rich in monounsaturated fatty acids, vitamin E, B vitamins, calcium, magnesium, selenium, phosphorus, and zinc. However, it is an energy-dense food since it has approximately 550 kcal per 100 g.<\/p>\n
Tip!<\/em> Two halva <\/strong>slices are enough to cover your need for taste and enjoyment.<\/p>\n
Alcohol<\/strong><\/p>\n
\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n
On this day, it is customary to accompany food with drinks such as ouzo (107 kcal\/45 ml), white wine<\/strong> (82 kcal\/120 ml), and beer (135 kcal\/330 ml).<\/p>\n
Tip<\/em>: Limit yourself to one glass of wine, one can of beer, or two shots of ouzo<\/strong>.<\/p>\n
So, looking at Clean Monday from a nutritional point of view, we notice that it offers foods of high nutritional value, and in some cases, it is also the only day of the year on which they are available.<\/p>\n
Please pay attention to how you consume them and their quantity to reap the benefits of these Lenten dishes.<\/p>\n
Observe Clean Monday by moderating consumption as the Lenten table is not an \u201cenemy\u201d of a balanced diet!<\/p>\n
After all, remember\u2026 It\u2019s only one day, and if something goes wrong nutritionally, you don\u2019t need to be disappointed because you can make amends in the following days.<\/p>\n
![\"lagana\"](\"https:\/\/greekcitytimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/12-19.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n![\"Taramasalata-Taramosalata-recipe-Greek-Fish-Roe-dip-750x563\"](\"https:\/\/greekcitytimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/Taramasalata-Taramosalata-recipe-Greek-Fish-Roe-dip-750x563-1.jpeg\")
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n![\"fried](\"https:\/\/greekcitytimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/2-33-1024x661.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n![\"Fava\"](\"https:\/\/greekcitytimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/1-51-1024x683.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n![\"](\"https:\/\/greekcitytimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/2-34-1024x683.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n![\"Ouzo](\"https:\/\/greekcitytimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/2-42-1024x678.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n