You’re going to overeat this Thanksgiving. But don’t worry, there’s nothing wrong with that fact! Thanksgiving is a time to celebrate everything you’re thankful for, and what can you be more grateful for than food? So eat it and enjoy it! The advice I suggest is not meant to be taken as a way to diet over the break, but instead a way to make sure that the calories you do consume count. Try to make the most out of what precious room you have in your stomach by filling it with more protein and vitamins than fat, salt, and sugar.
Food:
These rankings are only meant to be used as suggestions, and of course it is difficult to definitively list the foods because there are so many variations of ways to prepare each. Use your common sense and know that just because one thing is healthier than another, it isn’t healthier when it’s drowning in butter. Here I’ve mapped out Thanksgiving foods by the sub-categories of protein, starch, vegetable, and dessert:
Protein:
1. Turkey – white meat
White meat has 125 calories, 3.5 grams fat, and 22 grams of protein for every 3 oz. It’s also high in all B vitamins, selenium, and Omega-3s. Ask whoever is in charge of buying the turkey to look for pasture-raised to ensure you’re getting all the health benefits (their diet greatly affects the level of Omega-3’s).
2. Turkey – dark meat
Dark meat has 155 calories, 6 grams of fat, and 24 grams of protein for every 3 oz, and is high in the same vitamins and Omega-3’s in white meat.
3. Lamb Chops
Lamb has 112 calories, 4 grams of fat, and 17 grams of protein for every 3 oz. Lamb is also a great source of iron, zinc, and vitamins A, B3, B6, and B12.
4. Tofu, firm
Tofu has 183 calories, 11 grams of fat, and 20 grams of protein for every 3 oz. It’s also full of iron and calcium
Starch:
1. Sweet Potato Served Savory
Sweet potatoes are better for you than white potatoes with their nutrition boost of beta carotene, but when they’re covered in marshmallows their health benefits are weighed down by too much sugar. Try roasting them with olive oil, salt and pepper, or make them in some other, less sugary way.
2. Mashed Potatoes and Candied Sweet Potatoes
Second place absolutely depends on how these two are made. Most likely the mashed potatoes will beat out the candied sweet potatoes with just fat rather than the fat and sugar in the sweet potato dish. However, if you drown your mashed potatoes in too much gravy or butter it may lose to the sweet potatoes nutrition-wise.
3. Stuffing
It killed me to learn this is the worst for you, and it’s especially bad if it’s made with sausage (my favorite!). If it’s vegetarian it can contend with the other two options in second place, but if there’s sausage keep your portion of this side-dish smaller.
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Vegetable:
1. Roasted Brussel Sprouts/Green Beans/ Asparagus
Sprinkle with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Almost all the fat is unsaturated and will actually help you absorb all the vitamins in the vegetable.
2. Ceasar Salad
This salad has more saturated fat than salads with other dressings, so if there’s an option for balsamic it’s better to opt for that route. But a half cup only clocks in at 90 calories and 8 grams of fat.
3. Green Bean Casserole
This dish has roughly 8 grams of fat and 110 calories, but the amount of fresh food you’re eating is cut in comparison to the two options above so the vitamin content is also cut.
Desserts:
1. Pumpkin Pie
Though it depends on the recipe and the size, pumpkin pie is usually the way to go. Calories are cut with there only being a crust on bottom and there’s protein in the filling so you’re likely to eat less!
2. Apple pie
Apple pie has double the crust as pumpkin pie and won’t fill you up as much as pumpkin pie. Just skip the ‘a la mode’ part!
3. Pecan pie
With 5-10 more grams of fat and almost double the sugar as apple and pumpkin pie, pecan is the worst offender of classic Thanksgiving desserts!
Drinks:
The easiest way to cut calories without losing serious nutritional benefits this holiday is to just drink water. I can’t stress this enough. Assuming you have two drinks during the meal it can save you roughly 250 calories if the alternative is soda or juice, and up to 600 if the alternative is alcoholic beverages (specifically super-sweet cocktails). Make sure you get a big glass and, if you want to be extra good, try to take a sip in between each bite. This will make you eat more slowly, thus making you more aware of when you start to become full. It will also cleanse your palate after each bite and help wash away the salty taste that leaves you wanting even more. (Think of the Lay’s slogan of how it’s impossible to only eat one — you know that feeling! This helps you get rid of it!). However, Thanksgiving is a time to celebrate, and there’s no shame in wanting to drink something a little more exciting. Regardless of what else you choose to drink though, always have a glass of water as well. Here are the top three drinks, both non-alcoholic and alcoholic, if plain water just won’t do:
Non-Alcoholic:
1. Flavored Seltzer Water. (Personal favorites: pomegranate, vanilla orange, coconut)
Flavored seltzer gives you a little extra something, but without the extra calories. These three flavors are especially “sweet” tasting. The carbonation will also fill you up. Using carbonated drinks is normally not a good tactic for eating less because the fullness only lasts about 10 minutes, but on a day when you plan to eat until you’re well beyond simply ‘full’, it will keep you from overeating, but you won’t be left feeling hungry an hour later.
2. Green Tea
Green tea is a low calorie drink with a big nutritional punch. It helps reduce your chances of osteoporosis, cancer, heart disease, and even cavities (but it will stain your teeth so brush them afterwards)!
3. Skim or Low Fat Milk.
Milk has about the same calories as any juice, but it packs a bigger punch nutrition wise. It has calcium and vitamin D, and an eight oz. glass contains 8 grams of protein which are sure to fill you up in a healthy way!
Be sure to avoid: cranberry juice (or any juice) cocktail, egg-nog, and anything diet.
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Alcoholic:
1. Light Beer
Light beer has the same bubbly benefit as the seltzer above, and you get 12 oz. for the 90-120 calories you consume, instead of the normal 8 oz. of juice or soda.
2. Red Wine
Wine is about 120 calories a glass and research has shown consumption may reduce your chances of heart disease. The only drawback is that you only get 5 oz. a serving.
3. Mimosa
An 8 oz mimosa has roughly 150 calories and punches a mean hit of vitamin C!
Be sure to avoid: super sweet cocktails in general, Long Island iced tea, hot chocolate with peppermint schnapps, white russian.
Sources:
http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/low-calorie-cocktails?page=3
http://www.fitnessmagazine.com/recipes/drinks/healthy-choices/healthiest-drinks/
http://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/food_lists_meats.asp
http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/poultry-products/827/2
http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=125#healthbenefits
http://www.fitday.com/fitness-articles/nutrition/healthy-eating/the-nutrition-of-lamb.html#b