November 2006 Edition

Topics: Healthy Holiday Recipes & Tips, Thanksgiving Tips, Healthy Thanksgiving Food Recipes, Vegetarian Holiday Recipes.

Healthy Thanksgiving & Holiday Guide | Tips to curb your desire to overeat this holiday season | Back Issues | Comments/Feedback | Links/Resources | Mambo Recipes | Subscribe

Your Play-By-Play On The Nutritional Values (Or Lack Thereof) Of Every Item On A Typical Thanksgiving Table
By B. SixWise

On Thanksgiving Day, the average American eats between 2,000
and 4,500 calories, which is a hefty meal when you consider
that most people typically consume between 1,600-2,400 calories
in an entire day.

But while you may expect to eat a few more calories on Turkey
Day, you may be surprised to know what else is lurking on your
Thanksgiving table. From the bad (chemical food additives to
dangerous trans fats) to the good (antioxidants to vitamins),
here's a run-down of what's really on your plate.

Turkey
Turkey is the centerpiece of most Thanksgiving meals, and a
popular one at that. Benjamin Franklin wanted the turkey to be
named the national bird (instead of the eagle) and this holiday
favorite was part of Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin's first meal
on the moon.

Touchdowns: Aside from being a great source of lean protein,
turkey contains two cancer-fighting nutrients, selenium and
niacin, plus B vitamins for energy.

Misses: Typical store-bought turkeys may contain antibiotics.
Organic varieties, raised humanely and without these additives,
are available in health food stores. Cooking method also makes a
difference in the health value of your turkey. While roasted
turkey is a healthy choice, deep fried turkey is less so,
especially if you eat the skin.

Stuffing
The reason for stuffing's name seems obvious; it is
traditionally stuffed inside the turkey, after all. In the
Middle Ages, though, stuffing was called "farce," from the
Latin word "farcire," which means to stuff. Later, Victorian
English replaced the term with "dressing." Traditionally,
stuffing was a mixture of vegetables, spices, nuts, spelt and
herbs, and often contained liver, brains and organ meat. Today,
stuffing is made from a bread and vegetable base with various
other ingredients added.

Touchdowns: Stuffing often contains vegetables (celery,
onions), dried fruit, nuts and herbs and spices (garlic,
parsley, sage, thyme). All of these contain vitamins and
phytonutrients that are great for health.

Misses: Stuffing is mostly white bread, which is a refined
carbohydrate that can upset your blood sugar levels. Plus, many
people add sausage, a processed meat that almost always contains
nitrites, a potential carcinogen.

Cranberry Sauce
While cranberries may have been eaten at the first Thanksgiving
back in 1621, cranberry sauce was not. Sugar was not available
at this time, nor was the notion of boiling the fruit with it
to make a sauce.

Touchdowns: Cranberries are loaded with antioxidants and help
fight cancer and protect your heart and teeth. For more on the
excellent nutrition qualities of cranberries, and three
cranberry sauce recipes, check out our past article "The
Remarkable Antioxidant Power of Cranberries."

Misses: Cranberry sauce, the store-bought kind and most
homemade recipes, is usually high in sugar to temper the
tartness of the berries. You can try this no-sugar-added
cranberry sauce recipe for a truly healthy and tasty
alternative.

Sweet Potatoes
Sweet potatoes, one of the oldest vegetables around, have been
eaten since prehistoric times some 10,000 years ago. They're
also a mainstay at most Thanksgiving dinners.

Touchdowns: Sweet potatoes have much more nutrition than
regular potatoes, including vitamin A, vitamin C, manganese,
copper, fiber, vitamin B6, potassium and iron. They're rich in
antioxidants and anti-inflammatory nutrients, and are
classified as an anti-diabetic food because animal studies have
found they help stabilize blood sugar levels and lower insulin
resistance.

Misses: Plain sweet potatoes are an excellent choice, but pile
on sugar, brown sugar, marshmallow topping and maple syrup and
your ordinarily healthy sweet potatoes suddenly have as much
sugar as a candy bar.

Mashed Potatoes (Russet Potatoes)
Potatoes were not introduced to New England in time for the
first Thanksgiving, but they're a regular at most Thanksgiving
tables of the 21st century.

Touchdowns: Potatoes have gotten a bad rap with the low-carb
craze, but, generally speaking, they're a perfectly acceptable
part of the meal. Potatoes contain vitamin C, vitamin B6,
copper, potassium, manganese, dietary fiber and phytonutrients
that have antioxidant activity.

Misses: Good potatoes go bad when they're mixed with unhealthy
ingredients for mashing, such as margarine (many contain trans
fats) or an excess of salt. And instant mashed potatoes, the
kind that come from a box, may be loaded with artificial
flavors and sodium. Even homemade mashed potatoes are mostly
starch, so they're best eaten in moderation.

Veggies
Thanksgiving would not be complete without an autumn "harvest"
of seasonal vegetables. From a nutritional standpoint, you
cannot go wrong with any vegetable--as long as it's lightly
cooked and not loaded with sauces.

Green Bean Casserole: Green beans contain lots of vitamin K for
healthy bones and anti-inflammatory nutrients that may reduce
the severity of asthma, osteoarthritis and rheumatoid
arthritis. They also contain nutrients that have been found to
protect the heart, prevent colon cancer, and support the immune
system, skin and memory.

Green bean casserole usually contains cream of mushroom soup.
If you opt for a typical variety, it could contain loads of
sodium, preservatives and flavor-enhancers like MSG. You could
make this healthier by choosing a natural variety of cream of
mushroom soup, made without additives.

Broccoli/Brussels Sprouts: These belong to the cruciferous
family of vegetables, which are known for their anti-toxin,
cancer-fighting capabilities. Topped with a little lemon juice,
butter or olive oil, they make an exceptionally healthy part of
the meal. However, watch out for topping these veggies with
processed cheese sauces. While a little real cheese sprinkled
on top is OK, processed cheese sauces typically contain
preservatives, artificial colors and flavors and may contain
trans fats.

Asparagus: Asparagus is rich in folate, which fights birth
defects and protects your heart. It's also an excellent source
of inulin, a special carbohydrate that helps the good bacteria
in your intestines to grow and flourish. As with other veggies,
eaten plain it's a great choice--just watch out for processed
hollandaise or other sauces that add calories, bad fats and
additives.

Winter Squash: Winter squash varieties include butternut,
acorn, Hubbard and turban. They're rich in anti-cancer
phytonutrients, vitamin A that protects against emphysema and
folate. Resist the urge to add extra brown sugar or maple syrup
to these squash -- when cooked, most are already naturally
sweet.

Pumpkin and Pecan Pies
Pecans can help lower cholesterol, but go easy on the sugar-filled favorite, pecan pie.

Like cranberry sauce, pumpkin pie was probably not part of the
first Thanksgiving. They may have feasted on a pumpkin pudding,
however, that would have been similar to pumpkin pie filling.
Nuts probably were part of the first Thanksgiving, but a pecan
pie as we know it today may not have been.

Touchdowns: Both of these pies have healthy aspects. Pumpkin
has the health benefits of squash noted above, while pecans are
one of the healthiest nuts around. Pecans are an excellent
source of over 19 vitamins and minerals including vitamins E
and A, folic acid, calcium, magnesium, copper, phosphorus,
potassium, manganese, several B vitamins and zinc. Plus, a
study from New Mexico State University found that eating 3/4
cup of pecans a day may significantly lower LDL (bad)
cholesterol and help to clear the arteries.

Misses: As with any desert, these pies should be eaten in
moderation as they do contain significant amounts of sugar.
Also, if possible, you should make them yourself. Store-bought
pies are typically loaded with trans fats, preservatives, corn
syrup and low-quality oils. When you make your own, you know
exactly what's going into it and can choose higher quality,
more nutritious ingredients.

With a few tweaks to the traditional recipes, your Thanksgiving
meal can actually be quite healthy. Allow yourself a taste of
everything, just watch your portion sizes, and, when the eating
(and the dishes) is done, gather up a few friends and family
members for a brisk stroll outside. A little fresh air,
movement and conversation are the perfect ways to wrap up the
meal.

About the Author:
This article was provided by the world's #1
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Tips to Help Curb the Desire to Overeat This Holiday Season

Nowadays overeating during the holidays is a part of our culture. Increased stress levels usually aid the urge to overeat for emotional reasons. Here are a few tips to help curb the desire to overeat.

1. Plan ahead and have a protein heavy snack before going to dinner. This will help curb your appetite
2. If the buffet table is loaded, go for the special items you seldom have the opportunity to indulge in.
3. Be sure to chew your food thoroughly to facilitate digestion
4. The obvious portion control. This especially applies to desserts. For example, dark chocolate contains high levels of antioxidants so don’t deny yourself a few pieces. See the August Mambo Sprouts Health E-Newsletter "The Health Aspects of Chocolate"
5. If you are serving holiday dinner use smaller serving dishes.
6. For a first course have soup
7. Eat an extra slice of turkey as a substitute portion for higher calorie food. Instead combine other portions into one (i.e. instead of one portion of yams and one of stuffing combine ½ of each to make one portion)
8. Use simpler less caloric recipes. Baked Yams rather than yam casseroles
9. Try green bean salad instead of the traditional green bean casserole
10. For dessert and other recipes cut the sugar content in half
11. Substitute heavy fats in recipes with less butter, egg substitutes, and or soy milk
12. In case the meals are too irresistible, gather the kids and family and take a 20-30 walk around the neighborhood or local park to work off those freshly consumed calories

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Miss the last few newsletters? (Here they are!!)

• Healthy Halloween? Is it Possible?
• Honey - Treatment For Bad Ailments
• The Health Aspects Of Chocolate
• Mambo Sprouts Summer Tips
• Healthy Dining Out

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