Diners don't have to feel guilty at Thanksgiving

It's become a cliche -- Americans across the country, in a food-induced stupor after having eaten a huge Thanksgiving dinner. But the foods that make up a traditional Thanksgiving meal are really quite healthy. Food experts say those concerned with watching their weight and eating healthily can have their turkey and trimmings and eat them too.

Lori Pettet, a dietitian with Saint Francis Medical Center, said that the main feature, the turkey, is the most healthy component of the meal.

"It's something we recommend for almost any diet," Pettet said. "It's low in fat and low in salt, depending on how it's prepared."

The vegetable dishes that usually go with dinner are where most people go astray. Pettet suggests it's possible to cut back on fat without sacrificing tradition.

"Turkey, dressing, corn, green beans and a roll are a lot better than the scalloped potatoes and green bean casserole a lot of families have," Pettet said.

Sweet potatoes, a staple of many Thanksgiving dinners, are high in fiber and vitamin A, and are extremely healthy, Pettet said. Though it's best to avoid the brown sugar and marshmallows that make up sweet potato casserole, she said.

Casserole substitute

For those who like green bean casserole, Pettet said a few substitutions can keep that item on the table without added guilt. There are now low-fat brands of cream of mushroom soup that can be substituted, she said. And instead of using soup, she suggests using fresh mushrooms and a homemade cream sauce made with skim milk or evaporated skim milk.

"That will give you a creamy sauce without the fat," she said.

Another Thanksgiving tradition is cranberry sauce, but to make the bitter berries palatable most cooks add sugar.

Pettet suggests cooking the berries in diet soda or using artificial sweetener instead of sugar.

"Cranberries are a significant source of vitamin C and are high in phyto-chemicals," she said. "Cranberries help prevent, but do not treat, urinary tract infections and act as an antioxidant."

Another suggestion she offers is to use dried cranberries in conjunction with other ingredients in salads or sauces. The drying concentrates the berries and makes them less bitter, Pettet said.

If you're going to eat pie, and at Thanksgiving most people do, Pettet said that pumpkin is the best choice. Pumpkin pie can be made with low-fat milk and egg substitute to cut down on fat and calories.

But there isn't much one can do about pecan pie. While pecans contain a monounsaturated fat and are healthful, Pettet said "they're swimming in a pie filled with eggs and sugar."

Pettet said someone told her he made a pecan pie using sugar-free maple syrup and egg substitute, but she hasn't tried that.

"He said it was pretty good," she said.

lredeffer@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 160