01 09 10 Tweet Dietitians Eat Chocolate Too: "An optimist is a person who starts a new diet on Thanksgiving Day." -- Irv Kupcinet

Sunday, November 9, 2008

"An optimist is a person who starts a new diet on Thanksgiving Day." -- Irv Kupcinet

Ah, Thanksgiving. This is the maddening time of the year when we're overwhelmed on the Food Network with 50 different ways to make the same turkey, pumpkin pie, or other side dish that you'll spend an hour on the stairmaster in the hopes of zipping up your jeans by '09. So instead of making a list of tips or ways to avoid binge eating on a holiday that basically encourages, enjoy the holiday, football, and family & walk it off on Black Friday. I'll be adding a slice of cake to my plate--this year my big 2-4 falls on Turkey Day!

Let's be optimistic and think of the nutients we get on Thanksgiving:
  • Sweet Potatoes are a great source of fiber Vitamin A and C.
  • Cranberries protect our urinary tract from infection, are a source of fiber, vitamin A and C. Cranberries also change E. coli's cell membranes, the can prevent the bacteria from making contact with cells or attaching to them even if they somehow manage to get close enough, alter the shape of E.coli from rods to spheres, and disrupt bacterial communication (http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=145)
  • Turkey does not induce that post binge coma that occurs during holiday football games (the carbs are the culprit). Turkey is low in fat and high in protein. It is an inexpensive source of iron, zinc, phosphorus, potassium and B vitamins. (http://www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/Turkey/nutrition.html)
  • Pumpkin-- The bright orange color of pumpkin is a dead giveaway that pumpkin is loaded with an important antioxidant, beta-carotene. Beta-carotene is one of the plant carotenoids converted to vitamin A in the body. In the conversion to vitamin A, beta carotene performs many important functions in overall health.
    Current research indicates that a diet rich in foods containing beta-carotene may reduce the risk of developing certain types of cancer and offers protect against heart disease. Beta-carotene offers protection against other diseases as well as some degenerative aspects of aging. (http://www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/pumpkins/nutrition.

May your stuffing be tasty

May your turkey plump,

May your potatoes and gravy

Have nary a lump.

May your yams be delicious

And your pies take the prize,

And may your Thanksgiving dinner

Stay off your thighs!