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By Bonnie Jenkins, Advanced Natural Medicine
Before sitting down to write this bulletin, I thought I’d get a jump on planning our Thanksgiving dinner. This year, instead of cooking all of the fat-filled, sugar-ladened favorites, I’m going healthy—lean roast turkey breast, lots of colorful vegetable dishes and whole wheat stuffing. I have a feeling my family won’t notice the difference. Why? Because many of the foods we think of as traditional turkey-day fare are also incredibly healthy!
Turkey. In addition to being an excellent source of protein, turkey offers the least amount of fat per serving compared to other types of meat—as long as you pass on the skin. Turkey is also packed with the trace mineral selenium. Selenium works as an antioxidant, helping to strengthen the immune system and may help prevent prostate cancer according to the National Cancer Institute's Selenium and Vitamin E Cancer Prevention Trial (SELECT). Turkey also provides a healthy dose of niacin and vitamin B6, both essential vitamins for energy metabolism. And vitamin B6 is necessary for the synthesis of important brain chemicals which can boost your mood—a bonus if your holiday get-together looks more like the Simpsons instead of the Waltons.
Pumpkin. This autumn staple is rich in fiber while being really low in calories (just 20 calories per 100 grams). Plus, pumpkin is one of nature’s best sources of beta-cryptoxanthin, a compound that lowers the risk of insulin resistance by as much as 51 percent. Many important disease fighting nutrients are also found in large quantities in the flesh and the seeds, including potassium, pantothenic acid, magnesium, and vitamins C and E. The presence of a synergistic combination of carotenoids like beta-carotene, lycopene, lutein and zeaxanthin make pumpkin a superfood. The problem is, you lose many of these nutritional benefits as soon as you add eggs and cream and pour it into a pie crust. To make a lower-fat pumpkin pie, try mixing your pumpkin with using an egg substitute and low-fat evaporated milk before packing it into a transfat-free pie crust. Better yet, forget the pie and add cooked pumpkin cubes to your stuffing or yam casserole.
Cranberries. Cranberries are packed with vitamin C and also provide a fair amount of dietary fiber and manganese. But the real secret to cranberries’ health benefits are proanthocyanidins, a type of antioxidant that can prevent urinary tract infections by preventing bacteria from sticking to the walls of the urinary tract. Cranberries are also rich in a phytochemical group called anthocyanins. Anthocyanins promote healthy circulation, nerve function and offer protection against the development of cancer. In addition, cranberries may lower LDL (bad) cholesterol and raise HDL (good) cholesterol. But to get the most health benefits from your cranberries, opt for a whole cranberry sauce and unsweetened cranberry juice.
Sweet Potato. If you ditch the marshmallow topping, sweet potatoes are a rich source of antioxidants such as vitamin C and beta-carotene, as well as manganese. It also boasts respectable amounts of dietary fiber, copper, potassium, vitamin B6 and iron. Taken together, these nutrients fight both free radicals and inflammation—the two major “bad guys” that contribute to chronic disease. Try baking your sweet potatoes in their jackets this year to retain the most nutritional value. Then sprinkle with cinnamon for a tasty way to help keep your blood sugar on an even keel during the post-dinner celebration.
Green Beans - Green beans are probably one of the healthiest holiday foods out there, until they morph into the dreaded green bean casserole. Left au natural, however, green beans are an excellent source of vitamins C and K, plus manganese. They also contain good amounts of vitamin A, dietary fiber, potassium, folate and iron. These nutrients help boost immune function and protect against the development of cancer and heart disease, according to the National Cancer Institute. Instead of serving the traditional green bean casserole, which is high in fat and sodium, try tossing lightly steamed green beans with sautéed shallots for a yummy side dish without the guilt!
On average, the traditional Thanksgiving dinner can contain more than 3,000 calories! But, by making these smart swaps, you’ll increase nutrition and slash the fat and calories while giving your guests all of the traditional flavors they love!
References:
Lavigne JP, et al. Cranberry (Vaccinium macrocarpon) and urinary tract infections: study model and review of literature. Pathologie-Biologie (Paris). 2007;55:460-464.
Reagan-Shaw S, et al. Combination of vitamin E and selenium causes an induction of apoptosis of human prostate cancer cells by enhancing Bax/Bcl-2 ratio. Prostate. 2008;68:1624-1634.
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