Photo: Plainville Farms
It’s almost that glorious time of year when food, football and family converge. While most of us look forward to the Thanksgiving-Christmas-New Year’s conurbation, there are a couple of pitfalls. Exercise routines often go out the window until January (hence the spike in gym membership purchases that month) and sugary pies and deserts, too much alcohol and all manner of other indulgences make us pack on the pounds during the holidays.
But not everything on the Thanksgiving menu is to be avoided and in fact, there are several seasonal foods that offer a bevy of health benefits. Here are three guilt-free choices:
Turkey
Though the tryptophan it contains does assist in the production of melatonin, the notion that turkey is what makes you sleepy after Thanksgiving lunch or dinner is an old wives’ tale. Really it’s the fact that your body struggles to process so much food and then you put your body into sleep mode by sitting on the couch and watching football for hours on end. So load up on this lean meat, which packs a hefty protein punch that not only helps boost muscle repair and recovery, but also boosts immunity (your body breaks down amino acid into illness-fighting antibodies). The niacin that turkey contains helps with energy production, and the B12 it provides prevents against cognitive decline, too. If you’re the one doing the cooking, opt for an organic, free range bird to avoid antibiotics, steroids and the bioaccumulation of pesticides.
Sweet Potatoes
Go wild with this holiday meal staple. Sweet potatoes are loaded with eye-protecting, free-radical fighting vitamin A – a whopping 769% of the recommended daily amount per serving. They can also help maintain balanced adrenal and brain function and keep your mood stable, thanks to their high vitamin B6 content. By boosting blood levels of adiponectin, sweet potatoes regulate insulin sensitivity. And it’s OK to get adventurous and add purple varieties to your Thanksgiving buffet, as these have higher levels of cancer-fighting anthocyanidins and triple the ORAC value of blueberries.
Photo: Consciouslivingtv.com
Cranberries
As well as being the perfect relish for all that turkey, cranberries are a nutritional powerhouse. The flavonoids that give cranberries their vibrant red color are believed to reduce cancer risk. The little red fruit also has the highest quercetin concentration of any plant food, meaning it’s also adept at reducing inflammation. In addition, cranberries boost cardiovascular health by lowering “bad” cholesterol levels and keeping blood pressure in check, and also aid digestion due to their high fiber content. You’ll also get a vitamin C boost and a generous amount of antioxidant vitamin E from cranberries. Plus they’re lower in sugar than a lot of other fruits, so you can justify a few more spoonfuls on your plate.
