It’s finally the break we’ve all been waiting for since Fall Break … Thanksgiving Break! It’s our last time to relax and not think about school (for the most part) before the dreaded season of Finals arrives. Time to see high school friends, hang with families, and most of all, one of our favorite parts of the break… eat A LOT of delicious food. And while everyone should be fully encouraged to indulge and enjoy, maintaining a healthy diet or not completely falling off the deep end when it comes to pigging out are tough things to do over break. Men’s Health says the average person consumes an additional 600 calories per day between Thanksgiving and New Years… which could translate to gaining over six pounds! So here you have it, the most healthy (and least healthy) foods for Thanksgiving:
Worst:
Dark turkey meat: Not a complete diet killer, dark meat has about 160 calories per 3 oz.
Sweet potato casserole: Although sweet potatoes are good for you, made into a casserole they can equal a grand total of 285 calories per ¾ cup… yikes!
Cranberries: You’d think cranberries would be good for you, right? Wrong! For only ¼ of a cup, cranberries come in at 110 calories plus a ton of extra sugar.
Apple pie: A warm slice of sweet apple pie… few things sound quite so delicious. But be careful, a slice of this treat will cost you 411 calories and 19 grams of fat. P.S. Pecan pie is even worse—503 calories per slice!
Roll with butter: One little roll with one dab of butter… 136 calories! Choose mashed potatoes instead or skip the butter to save some calories.
Choose These Instead:
White turkey meat: At only 115 calories per 3 oz., this staple food of Thanksgiving can still be a part of a healthy meal. You’ll save 50 calories by choosing white meat over dark!
Green Bean Casserole: While not an entirely nutritious dish, green beans and mushrooms are good for you and at 161 calories per ¾ cup, this dish is a good pick over some of the other casserole options.
Gravy: If you must add something to your potatoes or turkey, gravy is a better option. At 30 calories per ¼ of a cup, you’ll save almost 80 calories by picking gravy over cranberries!
Pumpkin Pie: We all know how hard it is to resist delicious Thanksgiving dessert, so opt for pumpkin pie if possible. A slice is still 316 calories, but that’s far healthier than a slice of pecan or apple.
Mashed potatoes: While definitely not the healthiest Thanksgiving dish, in moderation, mashed potatoes can be an OK option. A half-cup will equal 118 calories, saving you almost 20 calories if you opt for these instead of a roll with butter.
Overall, the trick to not overdoing it at Thanksgiving dinner is to try a little bit of everything and eat in moderation. Depriving yourself will make your holiday miserable, so just be aware of what you’re consuming and hit the gym hard after break. Most important though? Enjoy yourself!
Info attributed to: http://www.eatingwell.com/healthy_cooking/healthy_cooking_101_basics_and_techniques/best_worst_thanksgiving_foods