Your Guide to Healthy Choices at Thanksgiving
Love Thanksgiving but hate the way you feel afterward? The holiday doesn't have to spell food coma, if you know which dishes you can eat with abandon—and which you should abandon entirely.
Go Ahead and Indulge:
Turkey BreastSkip the thighs—each one contains more calories than a thick slice of prime rib. Skinless white meat, on the other hand, is a top source of lean protein, with only 102 calories in three small slices.
Sweet PotatoesThese veggies are rich in fiber and low in calories (just 125 per half cup). Sprinkle with a dash of cinnamon, which has been shown to stabilize blood sugar levels.
Crudités and Healthy DipDunk fiber-rich carrots, celery, and bell peppers in hummus instead of ranch dressing, and you'll gain a gram each of protein and fiber per 25-calorie tablespoon.
Red WinePour yourself a small glass of Pinot Noir. Compared with other reds, it's richest in resveratrol, a compound that has been shown to reduce the risk of blood clots.
GravyDespite its bad reputation, gravy isn't a diet disaster. Even the giblets have less fat than you'd expect (about one gram per ounce). So ladle up: A quarter cup has just 50 calories.
Dishes to eat in moderation...or maybe avoid altogether
Keep Servings Small:
Stuffing
Made straight from the box, one-half cup of stuffing packs a not-too-terrible 107 calories, compared with at least 300 calories for homemade batches.
Take a Tiny Spoonful:
Cranberry Sauce
Just one-half cup contains four tablespoons of added sugar and 210 calories. A better bet: unsweetened applesauce, which hits the same cool, fruity note with a quarter of the sugar.
Biscuits or Cornbread
Buttermilk biscuits pack more than 200 calories each (a cornbread muffin runs close behind with 175). Instead, score healthful whole grains with one small whole wheat roll.
Green Bean Casserole
What happens when you douse a vegetable with creamy canned soup and fried onions? You get a dish that contains nearly as much fat as you'd get from a small hamburger—in a single cup.
Guide to the best and worst holiday desserts
StuffingMade straight from the box, one-half cup of stuffing packs a not-too-terrible 107 calories, compared with at least 300 calories for homemade batches.
Take a Tiny Spoonful:
Cranberry SauceJust one-half cup contains four tablespoons of added sugar and 210 calories. A better bet: unsweetened applesauce, which hits the same cool, fruity note with a quarter of the sugar.
Biscuits or CornbreadButtermilk biscuits pack more than 200 calories each (a cornbread muffin runs close behind with 175). Instead, score healthful whole grains with one small whole wheat roll.
Green Bean CasseroleWhat happens when you douse a vegetable with creamy canned soup and fried onions? You get a dish that contains nearly as much fat as you'd get from a small hamburger—in a single cup.
Guide to the best and worst holiday desserts
Your guide on what to savor and what to skip this Thanksgiving, from best to worst.
Brownies112 calories, 7 grams fat
Apple Crisp227 calories, 5 grams fat
Pumpkin Pie316 calories, 14 grams fat
Cheesecake401 calories, 28 grams fat
Chocolate Mousse454 calories, 32 grams fat
Pecan Pie503 calories, 27 grams fat
O's all-time favorite Thanksgiving menus...
And what to do with the leftovers
Photos: Levi Brown
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