You thought you overate for Thanksgiving? Come join my family for the holidays. Traditionally, the table setting for our dinner is simple: trough, pitchfork and shovel. We eat as if it's the last time the world will ever see food again.
Everyone is always asked to bring something, and with the minimum of 21 guests, you can expect a minimum of 21 dishes. Not only does everyone expect you to try his or her dish, but then you must have seconds and thirds. "Eat MAW, MAW, MAW!" insists my grandmother, in her Brooklyn accent. So we eat more.
How could we not? Each plate measures out to several kilograms - more or less the size of a small satellite dish. You could probably watch a football game on them. And God forbid you don't lick yours clean - well, Grandma might come after you with her shovel.
Not that we mind stuffing our faces. It's not that anything is unhealthy - there is just so much of it. Each turkey is at least the size of the pony my parents took me on when I was seven years old - yes, there are two. The 15 desserts that everyone feels obligated to bring dwarf any Viennese Table at an elaborate wedding. There is even enough gravy left for Dewick's Thanksgiving dinner ... in 2005. It is no wonder we have to roll everyone home once it's over.
Looking at the massive table load of food, I thought to myself, how could we take the best of this food and incorporate into our daily lifestyle? Sure, some of the foods we eat may be part of the Thanksgiving tradition, but there are many with great health benefits that could be added to the diet throughout the year.
Take sweet potatoes. I don't know my aunt's secret, but the sweet potato glob she makes is amazing! What's more, the Food and Drug Administration rates this root vegetable (with the skin) as one of the world's healthiest foods. Not only is it a great source of vitamin A, (in the form of beta-carotene) but it's also packed with vitamin C and contains more fiber than traditional white potatoes.
Both beta-carotene and vitamin C are powerful antioxidants that work to eliminate free radicals, which are chemicals that damage cells and are associated with the development of conditions like atherosclerosis, diabetic heart disease and colon cancer. In addition, sweet potatoes are a good source of vitamin B6, which might help to decrease the risk of heart attack and stroke.
Another one of the healthiest foods out there that we tend to eat over the holidays are cranberries. They're known for their ability to help prevent and treat urinary tract infections, according to the American Medical Association. They also may promote gastrointestinal and oral health, prevent the formation of kidney stones, lower LDL and raise HDL (good) cholesterol, aid in recovery from stroke, and even help prevent cancer. What a berry.
Cranberry sauce is popular for the holidays and tastes darn good, but most times there is a lot of added sugar. For those that need the sweetness, adding cranberries with pineapple does the trick. Some other ideas of ways to eat this awesome fruit: combining fresh cranberries and blueberries in low-fat yogurt; tossing some over a bowl of hot oatmeal, barley, or cold cereal; or mixing some unsweetened dried cranberries with nuts for a snack.
You knew I couldn't leave out nuts in this week's column - my absolute favorite food to eat! For Thanksgiving, chestnuts, walnuts and almonds are especially popular. Some think it's an oxymoron that a high-fat food is good for your health - but it's the good kind that our bodies need!
They're high in monounsaturated fats, the same type of health-promoting fats found in olive oil, which have been associated with reduced risk of heart disease. Nuts are also good sources of dietary fiber, magnesium, copper, folic acid, vegetable protein, potassium, and vitamin E - all important for heart health. According to the FDA, the protein in nuts is high in the amino acid arginine, which is important to help keep blood vessels relaxed and prevent clotting.
Walnuts in particular are high in alpha-linolenic acid an essential (n-3 or omega) fatty acid that is protective to the heart and circulation. Almonds are a very good source of manganese and copper, trace minerals that protects your cells from free-radical damage, maintains normal blood sugar levels, and helps synthesize fatty acids and cholesterol, to name a few.
Chestnuts are an excellent source of vitamin B6, vitamin C, potassium (which helps your muscles and nerves function properly) and folate, which is needed for protein synthesis in all cells.
No one needs to explain why Turkey isn't just for Thanksgiving, but here are some health benefits: a four-ounce serving of white turkey meat provides 65.1 percent of the daily value for protein, without being loaded with saturated fat and cholesterol.
Turkey is also a good source of the trace mineral selenium, great for immune function, and high in niacin and vitamin B6, another cancer-protective nutrient.
I don't mind Grandma's festive "holiday force-feeding;" however, it's nice to know that Thanksgiving isn't necessarily the last supper!
Marissa Beck is a senior majoring in English. She works with the Strong Women program as an assistant manager and personal trainer for the Tufts Personalized Performance Program. She can be reached at Marissa.Beck@tufts.edu. The content of this column is verified by Emily Bergeron MS, RD, a PhD student in Nutritional Epidemiology at the Friedman School and the editor of the Daily's Balance section.
