This Thanksgiving will be like none before it. Due to the COVD-19 pandemic, we’ll see fewer of our friends and family members, which may cast a shadow over the holiday. But be careful—after you stuff your Thanksgiving turkey, don’t stuff yourself with the least healthy items on the table. Here are a few healthy but traditional Thanksgiving foods that aren’t so full of fat and calories. Apples Americans love apples—they’re the most popular fruit in the nation, according to the US Department of Agriculture. Since autumn is apple harvest season, there’s no better time to pick up a few. Apples are a good source of both soluble and insoluble fiber, especially if you leave the skin on. Eating high-fiber fruits has been shown to slow weight gain, and apples are also a rich source of polyphenols, including chlorogenic acid and flavonoids (quercetin, catechin, and anthocyanin), which have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects. Apples have also been found to have cardioprotective effects, such as lowering triglycerides and LDL cholesterol. Higher intake of fruit (including apples) has also been linked with a lower risk of colorectal and other cancers. Now how about them apples? Applesauce is fine for a Thanksgiving side dish, but you’ll get the most health benefits from apples that are consumed fresh and whole. Maybe snack on an apple before Thanksgiving dinner, which could help fill you up a little and avoid overeating. Cranberries What’s a Thanksgiving dinner without cranberry sauce? Cranberries make a tart and tangy counterpoint to savory turkey and gravy. But it’s almost a shame that we associate cranberries with Thanksgiving, and only Thanksgiving. Cranberries are a healthy food that can be enjoyed all year ‘round. Cranberries are packed with antioxidants that neutralize free radicals, and they’re rich in phytonutrients that have anti-inflammatory activity. Cranberries also have proanthocyanidins (PACs), a type of polyphenol. “The PACs found in cranberries have a different structure than those found in other fruits and vegetables which are associated with their anti-adhesion properties. Cranberry PACs help prevent the adhesion of certain harmful bacteria, including E. coli associated with urinary tract infections, onto cell walls,” according to the Cranberry Institute (yes, there really is a Cranberry Institute). That part about consuming cranberries to prevent urinary tract infections is more than just a folk remedy. In a meta-analysis published in The Journal of Urology, researchers concluded that cranberry intake reduces the incidence and recurrence of urinary tract infections. Brussels sprouts To add some healthy greens to your Thanksgiving plate, try a side dish of Brussels sprouts. These cruciferous vegetables look like mini cabbages and, when boiled, they have a pungent aroma and bitter flavor that, frankly, aren’t that enjoyable. Try roasting them instead. This brings out their sweetness and slightly nutty flavor. Healthwise, you’ll be glad you added Brussels sprouts to your Turkey Day banquet. They’re high in fiber and packed with antioxidants (with a surprisingly high amount of vitamin C). Like their cruciferous colleagues—cauliflower, kale, broccoli, cabbage, collard greens, and others—Brussels sprouts have anti-inflammatory compounds that may help control chronic inflammatory conditions, including type 2 diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, and inflammatory bowel disease. Brussels sprouts are also a rich source of vitamin K, which aids in blood clotting and bone health. Sweet potatoes Sweet potato casserole topped with marshmallows or brown sugar (or both!) is a Thanksgiving staple. But you can skip the sugary topping, because sweet potatoes (as their name implies) taste plenty sweet on their own, especially when roasted. The sweet potato’s striking orange color comes from beta-carotene, a carotenoid and antioxidant that converts to vitamin A in the body. In fact, one medium-sized sweet potato provides 438% of the recommended daily value of vitamin A, a nutrient that’s important for immune function but also necessary for maintaining skin, eye, and organ health. Sweet potatoes are also rich in other vitamins and minerals, including vitamin C, manganese, and potassium. (Sweet potatoes have even more potassium than bananas, on a per serving basis.) Both orange-colored and purple sweet potatoes have anthocyanins—which are polyphenols with anti-inflammatory properties—but purple sweet potatoes have more. Caveat emptor: The “yams” sold at your local supermarket are very likely a variety of sweet potato. Real yams have a dark, bark-like skin and dry, starchy flesh. Pumpkin Just about any product you can think of—from coffee to candy to cereal—has a pumpkin flavor that pops up every autumn. But what about the good old gourd itself? Real pumpkin is high in fiber, loaded with vitamins and minerals, and rich in antioxidants. One cup of canned pumpkin has about 7 g of fiber—nearly 20% of the recommended daily amount. In addition, pumpkin has an abundance of vitamin A and it’s a good source of vitamin C, vitamin B6, iron, magnesium, and calcium. Like sweet potatoes, pumpkin contains more potassium than bananas, and it’s rich in beta-carotene and other antioxidants like vitamin C and vitamin E. If you’re going to make pumpkin pie for a side dish or dessert (is it really Thanksgiving without pumpkin pie?), it’s healthier if you make it yourself. Pumpkin pie filling that you buy in a store can be loaded with sugar and other ingredients. Source
