Is Thanksgiving Dinner Really That Bad?
We all know that Thanksgiving has been labeled the least healthy eating day of the year. If you are on a diet, you will most likely blow it, or make yourself crazy trying to stick with it. With Thanksgiving's tradition of eating until you're ready to burst, it seems pretty logical to be scared.
Thanksgiving has been deemed the least healthy holiday by most Americans. It doesn't quite seem fair considering we are the ones who have given it this title, but we are the ones eating all of the ridiculous amounts of food we seem to think needs to be consumed on the day. Before we all get mad at Thanksgiving and the pilgrims, let's take a look at what is expected to be consumed and what that means for our waistlines.
The first offender, Turkey, the centerpiece of our Thanksgiving meal.
5 ounces of Turkey (White Meat): Total Fat: 11.8g Saturated Fat: 3.3 Trans Fat: 0 Cholesterol: 107.7 mg Sodium: 89.3 mg Carbs: 0 Protein: 40.5g
Well, it looks like Turkey has a little fat, but not saturated or trans fat, but healthy unsaturated fats. It has relatively small amounts of cholesterol, sodium and no carbs. It is loaded with protein. Protein from turkey is an excellent source because it is a complete protein with all of the necessary amino acids. It appears that turkey is not only not bad for you, but actually healthy. The Verdict: Turkey is innocent.
Next, Sweet Potatoes.
Sweet Potatoes, Dark Orange, Fresh, 5" long Total Fat: .1g Cholesterol: 0mg Sodium: 71.5mg Carbs: 26.2g Protein: 2g
It seems that sweet potatoes are fat free and cholesterol free. They are nearly free of sodium as well as protein. This vegetable, or root, has good carbs as well. These good carbs are complex, which means your body breaks them down slowly providing you with energy over time, instead of going straight to your hips or stomach as fat. It would appear that sweet potatoes are innocent also.
Up next, canned cranberry sauce.
Cranberry Sauce, Sweetened and Canned, 3 slices: Total Fat: .3g Cholesterol: 0mg Sodium: 49.6mg Carbs: 66.5g Sugars- 64.5.g Protein: .3g
Well, it appears that cranberry sauce is fat free, please remember that the FDA lets food be labeled as fat free, preservative free, or trans fat free as long as there is less than .5g of the substance per serving. Please don't think that everything is actually fat free. Just think of it as .49g of fat per serving. Canned cranberry suace has no cholesterol and a very low sodium level. It does have 66.5g of carbs, 64.5g of those are sugar. Think of those 65g being pasted right to your belly, that's not a pretty sight. It looks like canned cranberry sauce is guilty!
Next on the stand is Stuffing:
Stuffing, bread, prep/dry mix 1/2cup Total Fat: 8.6g Saturated Fat: 1.7g Cholesterol: 0mg Sodium: 543mg Carbs: 21.7g Sugars: 2.1g Protein: 3.2g
Stuffing has a bit of fat, but not bad fat. It has negligible amounts of cholesterol and protein, but a boatload of sodium. This tasty treat has a lot of sodium, but less than one can of most canned goods. So compared to most people's diets, stuffing is low in sodium. The carbs are a little high, but the sugar isn't. That means that the carbs are actual food and not sugar. Now these carbs are from the white bread found in the mix, so they aren't the best, but 21g of it isn't enough to worry about, it's less carbs than a 20oz Gatorade. The Verdict: Innocent!
The jury is in, we've seen all we need to see. Turkey is not bad but healthy, sweet potatoes are not bad but healthy, cranberries are healthy, but the sweetened canned version is loaded with sugar, and stuffing isn't healthy, but isn't bad.
We have determined that Thanksgiving is actually innocent! Eat small portions like you would on any other day and Thanksgiving could actually be your healthiest meal of the whole year!
I think we know who is really guilty.
Even if you eat healthy food in excess, you will gain weight. Calories are calories no matter where they come from.
So what's the big deal? Thanksgiving has only gotten it's bad image because we overeat, and not only on the healthy stuff. We fill ourselves full of dinner and dessert. I know I don't have to tell you how bad dessert can be, so I'm not going to. Just take it easy.
Let's stop accusing Thanksgiving, and get real with ourselves. How about this year we take responsibility for ourselves and call it quits when we know we should. We won't feel guilty, or miserable and actually enjoy our time with family. This year let's be thankful for our family and that fact that we have so many leftovers.
Have a great Thanksgiving. - 17274
Thanksgiving has been deemed the least healthy holiday by most Americans. It doesn't quite seem fair considering we are the ones who have given it this title, but we are the ones eating all of the ridiculous amounts of food we seem to think needs to be consumed on the day. Before we all get mad at Thanksgiving and the pilgrims, let's take a look at what is expected to be consumed and what that means for our waistlines.
The first offender, Turkey, the centerpiece of our Thanksgiving meal.
5 ounces of Turkey (White Meat): Total Fat: 11.8g Saturated Fat: 3.3 Trans Fat: 0 Cholesterol: 107.7 mg Sodium: 89.3 mg Carbs: 0 Protein: 40.5g
Well, it looks like Turkey has a little fat, but not saturated or trans fat, but healthy unsaturated fats. It has relatively small amounts of cholesterol, sodium and no carbs. It is loaded with protein. Protein from turkey is an excellent source because it is a complete protein with all of the necessary amino acids. It appears that turkey is not only not bad for you, but actually healthy. The Verdict: Turkey is innocent.
Next, Sweet Potatoes.
Sweet Potatoes, Dark Orange, Fresh, 5" long Total Fat: .1g Cholesterol: 0mg Sodium: 71.5mg Carbs: 26.2g Protein: 2g
It seems that sweet potatoes are fat free and cholesterol free. They are nearly free of sodium as well as protein. This vegetable, or root, has good carbs as well. These good carbs are complex, which means your body breaks them down slowly providing you with energy over time, instead of going straight to your hips or stomach as fat. It would appear that sweet potatoes are innocent also.
Up next, canned cranberry sauce.
Cranberry Sauce, Sweetened and Canned, 3 slices: Total Fat: .3g Cholesterol: 0mg Sodium: 49.6mg Carbs: 66.5g Sugars- 64.5.g Protein: .3g
Well, it appears that cranberry sauce is fat free, please remember that the FDA lets food be labeled as fat free, preservative free, or trans fat free as long as there is less than .5g of the substance per serving. Please don't think that everything is actually fat free. Just think of it as .49g of fat per serving. Canned cranberry suace has no cholesterol and a very low sodium level. It does have 66.5g of carbs, 64.5g of those are sugar. Think of those 65g being pasted right to your belly, that's not a pretty sight. It looks like canned cranberry sauce is guilty!
Next on the stand is Stuffing:
Stuffing, bread, prep/dry mix 1/2cup Total Fat: 8.6g Saturated Fat: 1.7g Cholesterol: 0mg Sodium: 543mg Carbs: 21.7g Sugars: 2.1g Protein: 3.2g
Stuffing has a bit of fat, but not bad fat. It has negligible amounts of cholesterol and protein, but a boatload of sodium. This tasty treat has a lot of sodium, but less than one can of most canned goods. So compared to most people's diets, stuffing is low in sodium. The carbs are a little high, but the sugar isn't. That means that the carbs are actual food and not sugar. Now these carbs are from the white bread found in the mix, so they aren't the best, but 21g of it isn't enough to worry about, it's less carbs than a 20oz Gatorade. The Verdict: Innocent!
The jury is in, we've seen all we need to see. Turkey is not bad but healthy, sweet potatoes are not bad but healthy, cranberries are healthy, but the sweetened canned version is loaded with sugar, and stuffing isn't healthy, but isn't bad.
We have determined that Thanksgiving is actually innocent! Eat small portions like you would on any other day and Thanksgiving could actually be your healthiest meal of the whole year!
I think we know who is really guilty.
Even if you eat healthy food in excess, you will gain weight. Calories are calories no matter where they come from.
So what's the big deal? Thanksgiving has only gotten it's bad image because we overeat, and not only on the healthy stuff. We fill ourselves full of dinner and dessert. I know I don't have to tell you how bad dessert can be, so I'm not going to. Just take it easy.
Let's stop accusing Thanksgiving, and get real with ourselves. How about this year we take responsibility for ourselves and call it quits when we know we should. We won't feel guilty, or miserable and actually enjoy our time with family. This year let's be thankful for our family and that fact that we have so many leftovers.
Have a great Thanksgiving. - 17274
About the Author:
Klint Newton has released his 7 Part Muscle Building Guide that you can recieve, if done before Thankgiving, for free. Klint Newton is a recognized expert in helping people the best way to gain muscle. Claim your copy of his 7 Part Muscle Building Guide Now.
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