Navigating Rosh Hashanah: Calorie Counts and the Surprising Health Benefits of Honey
Clalit Health Services experts share practical nutritional tips for Rosh Hashanah, detailing calorie counts in traditional holiday foods and highlighting the remarkable health benefits of raw honey.
Rosh Hashanah brings a table laden with holiday symbols, family meals, and quite a few calories that accumulate over the days. Ahead of the holiday, we spoke with two experts from Clalit Health Services about how to navigate holiday meals in a more balanced way. They detailed how many calories are hidden in foods associated with Rosh Hashanah, what is best to prefer on the table, and the health properties attributed to the undisputed star of the holiday: honey.
So how many calories are really hidden in the holiday meal, and how can one enjoy it without losing control? Mariana Orbach, director of the Nutrition and Diet Unit at Clalit Health Services in the Dan-Petah Tikva district, explains that the change in eating routines during the holiday requires a bit more attention to what enters the plate. "The holiday is approaching, bringing with it changes in eating habits as we consume foods we are not accustomed to eating the rest of the year. The calorie count can increase unusually with the numerous meals starting on holiday eve and continuing throughout the days of the holiday."
Practical Dietary Recommendations for the Holiday
Orbach provides a series of dietary recommendations to help diners get through the holiday safely. She suggests not breaking the diet and not throwing caution to the wind. Orbach explains that one can eat holiday foods in a controlled manner, ensure adequate hydration—at least seven or eight glasses of water or diet fluids a day—and avoid consuming snacks between meals.
She further recommends staying away from holiday sweets, preferring rosé wine (95 calories per glass) over sweet red wine (170 calories per glass), and ensuring a high consumption of vegetables instead of energy-dense foods. In a meat meal, she recommends avoiding fried foods: "Prefer lean fish (mackerel, salmon, sole, or tuna) over high-fat fish (tilapia, Nile perch, trout). It is also recommended to choose fish weighing under 300 grams as it contains lower fat percentages, for example: carp weighing up to 300 grams."
She also advises avoiding any carbohydrate additions in soup (potatoes, rice, etc.), except for cooked vegetables. "It is also worth taking advantage of the days for family trips into nature or sports activities," she concludes.
Orbach details the calorie counts in typical Rosh Hashanah foods: a serving of gefilte fish contains about 250–400 calories. A serving of beef (about 200 grams, one slice) has about 300–400 calories depending on the sauce. A serving of goulash (about 200 grams) contains about 300 calories, as does a quarter of a roasted chicken.
A small bowl of fruit compote in syrup has about 160 calories, a boiled potato 70–100 calories. A slice of honey cake contains about 200 calories, and a pomegranate weighing about 300 grams has approximately 378 calories.
Orbach notes that a teaspoon of honey contains about 30 calories. A cup of dry wine has about 120 calories, a cup of sweet wine about 162 calories, and a cup of grape juice about 160 calories.
Sweet Secrets: The Health Benefits of Honey
After counting calories, we reach the food without which Rosh Hashanah is unimaginable. Dr. Rali Abel, a senior dietitian at Clalit, focuses on honey, explaining its composition, recommended consumption, and the health benefits attributed to natural, raw honey composed of 80% glucose and fructose sugars and 20% water.
«The sugar is the primary supplier of energy available to the body. Honey is half as sweet as sugar and thus also contains slightly fewer calories compared to it. Good honey should be natural, raw, and preferably organic, produced by bees feeding on nectar and pollen.»
According to Dr. Abel, it is preferable to use raw honey that has not been heated above 40 degrees Celsius: "Above this temperature, the enzymes and vitamins in it are destroyed, which are so crucial for various chemical reactions occurring in the human body."
She notes that a study published a few years ago proved honey is effective against nagging nighttime coughs in toddlers over the age of one. "The study participants were treated at Clalit child health centers across several locations in the country," she recounts. "All toddlers suffered from nagging coughs. Some were given ten grams of honey (a heaping teaspoon) half an hour before bedtime, and the control group was given date-derived silan spread. The cough severity was graded from 0 to 6."
In the study group, the cough severity improved by 2.5 grades—from 3.75 at the study's start to 1.46 after taking honey—while the control group remained unchanged. The conclusion of Prof. Herman from Clalit Health Services, who conducted the study, is that honey proved effective in reducing nagging coughs in toddlers over the age of one.
Antibacterial Properties and Medical Uses
Numerous studies have shown that honey possesses antibacterial properties that help combat viruses and bacteria. "The high sugar concentration does not allow bacteria to develop," she explains. "This capability allows honey to eliminate bacteria, even the strongest ones."
Honey also absorbs moisture from any living body, causing bacteria that come into contact with it to lose fluids and perish, which helps heal skin wounds, cuts, burns, and post-surgical scars. "The anti-infective properties of honey assist in better skin healing," she concludes.
Honey is also effective for neutralizing toxins in the body, acts as an antiseptic, and is effective against fungi. According to Dr. Abel, it is beneficial for healing stomach ulcers, oral aphthae, and gum inflammation. It destroys bacteria causing tooth decay, lowers oral acidity, and thereby prevents bacterial adhesion to teeth. Honey and propolis assist in skin tissue renewal and are effective in treating acne. Pure honey contains antioxidants that help delay skin aging processes and protect against environmental damage such as solar radiation that accelerates skin aging. Honey is important and aids the digestive system, prevents constipation, and helps soften stools in cases of constipation.
Prof. Avshalom Mizrahi, a biochemist by profession, also notes that honey improves human vitality and vigor, enhances appetite and mood, and supports proper heart function. It is important to remember that honey is unhealthy for diabetics and must be consumed solely under the instructions of a physician or dietitian, and should not be given to infants under the age of one. Wishing everyone a happy and sweet year.
