Feature Articles: Food, Fitness and
Holidays
Have a healthy Thanksgiving
Melissa Bess, Nutrition and Health Education Specialist, Camden County, University of Missouri Extension and edited by Jessica Kovarik, RD, LD, Extension Associate, University of Missouri Extension
Thanksgiving is usually one of those holidays were seconds are a must. Some Thanksgiving meals can equal the amount of calories and fat we need in an entire day, or even more! Here are some ways to make your Thanksgiving feast healthier.
- Go for a walk before or a few hours after the meal.
Moderate to vigorous exercise can help accelerate
calorie and fat burning, and is a great way to socialize
with family or friends. A walk will also help increase
energy levels if you are feeling sluggish or tired.
- Enjoy turkey. With the skin removed, turkey has a
good amount of protein and little fat or saturated fat.
Dark meat has more fat than white meat. Roast or bake
instead of frying.
- Eat sweet potatoes. Sweet potatoes are a rich source
of potassium (can help lower blood pressure), vitamin A,
beta carotene (both vitamin A and beta carotene help
with healthy vision), vitamin C (an antioxidant,
protective against diseases), and fiber (promotes a
healthy digestive system and may prevent diseases). Try
to limit or avoid using brown sugar, marshmallows, and
too much butter on this dessert. Use other seasonings
such as cinnamon, ginger, or orange rind for flavor.
- Try pumpkin instead of pumpkin pie. Pumpkin has
similar nutrients to sweet potatoes. Make a pumpkin
custard or pumpkin pudding instead of pumpkin pie and
use ginger or cinnamon for flavor.
- In recipes, use evaporated skim milk instead of
regular evaporated milk. This applies to many dessert
recipes.
- Watch portion sizes. You can enjoy many different
foods at Thanksgiving, but moderate portion sizes are
key.
- Make your own cranberry sauce. Buy fresh or frozen
cranberries and you will have a tastier and less sugary
version than what comes in a can. Cranberries are full
of antioxidants, which help protect against many
different diseases.
- If you make bread, rolls, muffins, or other similar
recipes, use some whole wheat flour to replace the white
flour to get some extra fiber. If you don’t bake, switch
white rolls with whole wheat or whole grain rolls. Limit
the amount of rolls you eat, as well as the butter you
use on them.
- Steam vegetables and eat them plain instead of with
lots of butter or creamy sauces.
- Contact your local Extension office to find healthy
Thanksgiving recipes and plan ahead. They may also
suggest a website or cookbook with healthy recipes.
- Don’t skip meals ahead before the feast; this may make you more likely to overeat.
- Remember food safety – thaw the turkey correctly,
cook all foods to the proper temperature, put leftovers
into the refrigerator or freeze within 2 hours, and
re-heat leftovers to the proper temperature. Again, your
local Extension office is a great resource if you need
more information.
Remember moderation, not deprivation, is the key to a happy and healthy Thanksgiving!
For more information contact contact Melissa Bess at 573-346-2644 or email at bessmm@missouri.edu.
Last update: Wednesday, January 30, 2008
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