Posted by Carrie Lazarus - Thanksgiving; it’s a time for family, a time for showing appreciation for all of life’s gifts, and of course, a time to eat.  This week marks the beginning of the season of gluttony, the time when even the most health-conscious among us gives in to the temptations of the holiday table.  I read one estimate this week that puts average American consumption throughout Thanksgiving day at 4500 calories and 229 grams of fat!!!

Although the turkey takes center stage at the Thanksgiving table, it’s probably the most nutritious part of the meal.  A 3 ounce portion of turkey breast with the skin removed contains only 120 calories, one gram of fat, 55 mg of cholesterol and 45 mg of sodium.  If you prefer dark meat, it’s 138 calories and six grams of fat for boneless, skinless thigh meat.  Dark meat also has more zinc, riboflavin, thiamine and B vitamins than white meat.  

So where do all those calories come from?  If you cook your stuffing inside the bird, it will absorb fat and calories.  You can cut down on both by replacing the butter with olive oil, toss in plenty of vegetables and replace at least half of the white bread with whole grains.  

Holiday pies also pack their fair share of calories.  Many pies contain more than 500 calories per slice.  Scoop some Hagen-Dazs on top, and that rises to 800 calories.  Many of the calories lurk in the pastry, so pick a pie with a single layer crust.  

The bottom line?  It wouldn’t be Thanksgiving without all our favorite holiday recipes.  Take a small portion of everything you like and enjoy!!!