Winda Saintil
Staff Writer
With Thanksgiving just around the corner, many of us are thinking about all the food that we will be feasting on. Large amounts of food equal extra calories so we must still be mindful of what we are consuming. Extra calories overtime can lead to obesity (weight gain that surpasses the normal weight range for your specific body type) and obesity is linked to a lower quality of life.
When it comes to Thanksgiving, we can often find ourselves indulging in foods that contain excess fat, sugar, and sodium. You may be wondering why this matters so much, especially if you are only being unhealthy for a day or two. According to the Harvard School of Public Health, about half of the US population will be obese by the year 2030. This is partially because many people are living sedentary lifestyles, and processed foods are easily accessible/ affordable.
So, we may acknowledge that a few pounds will be gained around this time of year, but we should also acknowledge that the weight is not always lost afterward. If this is a pattern that continues over time, it could lead to obesity. A good way to practice being more health conscious during Thanksgiving is to review the ingredients in foods that we will prepare and foods that we buy from the stores. A good rule for store bought food is to look at the nutritional facts and ingredients. If you notice that there are many different ingredients that you cannot pronounce, then you should probably look for alternatives. Fewer ingredients and ingredients you recognize equals less processed and better for you. You could also make your portions smaller.
To illustrate these concepts, let’s consider: Sweet Potato Casserole. It can include butter, milk, brown sugar, marshmallows, and candied nuts among other things. Sweet potatoes are naturally sweet, so the excess sugar is not needed and can turn something healthy into something harmful. Pecans can be substituted for brown sugar or candied nuts to add the crunch. The marshmallows can be removed, and low fat or skim milk could be used instead of regular milk. With these modifications less processed ingredients are being added and the nutritional content of the food isn’t being overpowered.
Another example is stuffing. It can include large amounts of fat, sodium, and carbohydrates/ sugars. If you still insist on having stuffing:
1. Avoid boxed stuffing.
2. Use bread that has not been processed.
3. Make your own.
4. Use low sodium stock.
5. Use vegetables and nuts as ingredients.
These are only a few examples/suggestions, but I would like to encourage you to be mindful of what will go into your body. If you are not in the position to make modifications, it’s completely ok to just eat less food. You could also spread-out leftovers over the course of many days, so you are not indulging yourself all at once. All in all, don’t simply get health conscious during Thanksgiving, but aim to practice this throughout the entire year.
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