Article by Morgan Leepa | Photography by Jennifer Lewis and Brianna Breece | Owl Staff
There’s always that one person who can just eat an entire table full of holiday goodies and barely gain an ounce. Then there are the rest of us, who simply look at pie and gain half a pant size. You can try to avoid holiday food altogether, but that will just make you miserable. All you really need to do is choose something a little lighter for the holidays.
Dark Turkey Meat: Especially with the skin, dark turkey meat is full of fat and calories.
Serving Size: 7oz. Calories: 442 Fat: 23g
Sugar: 0g
Turkey Stuffing: It’s a sad but true fact that stuffing is one of the unhealthiest Thanksgiving dishes. Because it consists of mostly bread, it’s very fattening and caloric. Serving Size: 1 cup
Calories: 320
Fat: 18g
Light Turkey Meat: This is a much better alternative because the meat is much leaner, and it gives you more energy. (If you’re adventurous, try roasted Tofurkey, the vegan version of turkey. It has half the fat and calories of regular turkey!)
Serving Size: 7oz. Calories: 328 Fat: 11g
Sugar: 0g
Wild Rice: This will satisfy y craving for carbohydrates without the consequences. Serving Size: 1 cup
Calories: 166
Fat: 1g Sugar: 1g
Mashed Potatoes and Gravy: Potatoes alone are very healthy, but we all know it doesn’t stop there. We like to add whole milk, butter, and artery clog- ging gravy to complete this traditional side dish.
Serving Size: 1 cup of mashed potatoes,
½ cup of turkey gravy Calories: 336
Fat: 16g
Sugar: 3g
Pumpkin Spice Latte: This is one of my fall favorites, but it’s loaded with whole milk and whipped cream, which really raises the level of sugar and fat.
Serving Size: 12oz.
Calories: 330
Fat: 14g
Sugar: 38g
Sweet Potatoes: This is a much more suitable side dish. Sweet potatoes are incredibly nutritious with their lack of fat and sodium. Besides, you don’t need to dress them up in gravy or sauce to make them taste great.
Serving Size: 1 Cup (Mashed)
Calories: 249 Fat: 0g Sugar: 19g
Steamed Apple Cider: The sugar content isn’t perfect, but with the slash in calories and fat, this is a much better alternative.
Serving Size: 12oz.
Calories: 180
Fat: 0g Sugar: 40g
Pecan Pie: With the highly caloric crust and the overly rich filling, this is one of the most dangerous desserts of all.
Serving Size: 1 Slice Calories: 541
Fat: 22g Sugar: 33g
Pumpkin Pie: If you absolutely cannot live without pie, pumpkin pie is a much healthier choice. Just look at the difference in numbers!
Service Size: 1 Slice Calories: 323
Fat: 13g
Sugar: 25g