Stuffing Yourself Healthy

By Janice M. Horowitz Sunday, Nov. 24, 2002
    • Before you get too stuffed — and guilt ridden — consider what you are about to eat on Thanksgiving. The traditional offerings contain an unforgivable amount of calories as well as dietary no-nos like fat, sugar and salt, but they also include foods that are good for you. Follow the guide below, and, after your meal, you'll give yourself thanks.

    The bird
    If you are choosing between breast and drumstick, go for the white meat. It has fewer calories and less fat than the dark, although both are superb sources of easily absorbed protein, B vitamins and essential minerals like zinc.Stay away from self-basting birds — on average they have nearly twice the fat and salt as the old-fashioned kind. As for the skin, if you can bear to part with it, do. That's where almost all the fat resides. A reminder: As soon as you're done, get the leftovers into the fridge. It takes just two hours for bacteria to build up in a warm bird.

    Cranberry sauce
    Cranberries are high in vitamin C and condensed tannins, the heart-healthy compounds also found in red wine. An added bonus: research shows that cranberries reduce bladder infections by sweeping away bacteria that adhere to the urinary-tract lining. But chefs, go easy on the sugar.

    Stuffing
    New research suggests that bread crust may contain a cancer-fighting antioxidant, pronyl-lysine. But to make stuffing really healthful, use whole-wheat bread or high-fiber grains like wild rice. And cook stuffing outside the bird, where it won't absorb fat-laden drippings.

    Sweet potatoes
    One potato has nearly zero fat and only 120 calories — just don't douse it with butter. Sweet potatoes also boast cancer-fighting carotenoids and contain about half the vitamin C of oranges.

    Brussels sprouts
    These little cabbage heads boast big-time benefits. An excellent source of vegetable fiber, they also contain vitamin C, iron and the B vitamin folate, which may lower the risk of heart disease and, according to the latest research, Alzheimer's. Sprouts also contain cancer-fighting chemicals called indoles. If you insist on greasing up the sprouts, substitute olive oil

    Gravy
    Basically, gravy is flavored fat — and it's salty too. Reduce the amount of fat by passing the turkey drippings through a fat-separating cup or refrigerating them and skimming off the hardened layer that develops, especially when prepared with a packaged mix.

    Pumpkin pie
    With about half the calories and a lot less fat, pumpkin pie is a far better choice than pecan. Like other vegetables with orange flesh, pumpkins are packed with carotenoids. If you don't feel full before dessert, the fiber in pumpkin will do the trick.