Thanksgiving Healthy Food Swaps

A gathering around the Thanksgiving dinner.

Thanksgiving is almost here and we all know what that means - get-togethers with family and friends; turkey with all of the trimmings, more than one dessert; and being stuffed to the gills after feasting. Our vegan friends have already figured out how to have healthier celebrations, so there must be some way for the rest of us to make better food substitutions.

Here in the Baltimore area, we are very lucky to have a number of noted health care institutions. PATIENT FIRST, which operates urgent care centers in this area and other parts of the country, has some advice in a blog article by Ashley Young.



We all know that the main attraction tends to be turkey, but you can still have that turkey, with some changes in preparation. Most cooks tend to rub down the turkey with butter, but a healthier alternative can be seasoning with fresh herbs and lemon juice. Possible herb choices that go well with turkey are thyme, sage and rosemary. Replace the butter fat with a tablespoon of olive oil and just a bit of kosher salt. Then roast as usual, making sure the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees, to assure that the bird is cooked thoroughly.

Now for stuffing. Most people tend to make stuffing with bread, white bread that is. Instead, why not use whole grain bread, giving your stuffing more fiber. Most stuffings also include broth, but this Thanksgiving, try the low-sodium version. Now, I do remember my mother actually putting the stuffing inside the bird, but you reduce the chances of illness when you cook the stuffing separately from the bird.

Next, the mashed potatoes, since most Thanksgiving dinners include them. But instead of using whole milk, replace with skim or 1% milk. With seasoning, use the pepper more generously and be more sparing with the salt. One year my mother added nutmeg to her mashed potatoes and created a taste sensation, but I really don't know how much she used. Now, there are some people who prefer mashed potatoes made with sour cream; that's a high calorie version right there. But this year, try plain Greek yogurt; it provides more protein with fewer calories and will be just as creamy. You can even mash half the usual amount of mashed potatoes and make the other half cooked cauliflower; just make sure to blend them thoroughly.

At the end of a delicious meal comes dessert. That can really heap on additional calories, especially if any of your family members are like my father was, requesting a serving of each dessert. Okay, what is healthier - apple pie or pumpkin pie? It turns out that pumpkin pie wins that prize; it contains fiber and vitamin A. You can even reduce the calories in the pumpkin pie by using skim milk in place of heavy cream or half and half.

Measuring the internal temperature is key to making sure everyone stays healthy.

Finally, most of us, when we see that bounteous Thanksgiving feast spread before us, are tempted to just shovel it in until we can barely roll away from the table. But slow it down and take smaller bites. Savor the food. That way you give enough time for the satiety center to provide the signal that you're full and can't eat another bite. You'll feel better and you won't have to let out any waist bands, either.

The Patient First Center in Clinton, Maryland.

Thanks to this article from Health Matters, a Patient First blog: http://www.patientfirst.com/blog/a-guilt-free-thanksgiving-enjoy-a-few-healthy-tweaks-to-the-feast.aspx?PostId=42&tabid=819.

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