It’s Thanksgiving time again. Time for family traditions. Time for Aunt Sally’s pumpkin pie and Granny’s nut bread. It’s also time for overeating foods with too many carbs and sugars. The traditional Thanksgiving feast is high in fatty, high cholesterol foods and simple sugars. The average person can rack up 2,000 calories in a single Thanksgiving meal. I asked Jody Victor®  to give us some suggestions for minimizing the intake.

Jody Victor®: Fortunately there are some ways to minimize the bad elements and maximize the nutritious ones. Planning ahead will help you navigate the bounty and get the most out of the meal with healthy benefits. Start your Thanksgiving Day with a healthy breakfast. Eat a few light snacks of fruit, veggies, toast and peanut butter and yogurt during the day. Don’t go to the dinner table hungry. Enjoy a walk or some form of exercise during the day. Taking antioxidant supplements (vitamins C and E) before your meal can help reduce the harmful effects of a large meal.

If you are one of the chefs for your Thanksgiving dinner there are some substitutions you can use to make it a healthier meal. Instead of cooking your turkey with butter, use a mixture of olive oil, onions, garlic and fresh herbs. Cook the stuffing in a separate pan instead of inside the turkey. Skim the fat from the turkey’s juices before making the gravy. Instead of candied yams, bake sweet potatoes and sprinkle with sugar substitute and cinnamon. Steam green beans and top with sautéed onions and mushrooms instead of using cream of mushroom soup and fried onions for your casserole. Simmer fresh cranberries and chopped apples together instead of jellied cranberry sauce in a can. Serve pumpkin pie instead of pecan pie.

When the dinner bell has rung there are some healthy choices you can make and still totally enjoy the feast. Use a smaller plate, if given a choice. Fill one half of your plate with salad, vegetables and fruits; one quarter with white, skinless turkey meat; and the other quarter with a starch such as potatoes, rice or pasta. Reducing the carbs during the main course will help you save them for dessert later. If you can’t skip the gravy, think of it as the same as butter or margarine- a little goes a long way. Focus on the foods you love the most and fill up on those. Don’t fill up on foods you don’t like or can get any time. Keep your portion sizes small. A regular portion is about the size of a deck of cards. Eat slowly and chew your food twice as long as normal. Drink plenty of water during the meal. Take another walk after dinner and enjoy your dessert an hour or so after the main meal.

The main thing is to enjoy the food and the company in a healthy balance.

Happy Healthy Thanksgiving!

Steve Victor

The pumpkin’s bright orange color is a big clue that it is rich with beta-carotene. Beta-carotene is one of the plant carotenoids that converts to Vitamin A in the body. During this conversion beta-carotene performs many important functions for maximum health. I asked Jody Victor® to give us more details.

Jody Victor®: Research shows that a diet rich in beta-carotene reduces the risk of developing some types of cancer and protects against heart disease. Pumpkins also contain the carotenoids lutein and zeaxanthin, which not only promote healthy vision but also protect against macular degeneration. Alpha-carotene, another pumpkin plus, is believed to aid in the prevention of tumor growth. Pumpkin seeds (pepitas) provide many nutrients as well including bone-strengthening magnesium and copper, cholesterol-lowering phytosterols and inflammation-reducing omega-3 fatty acids.

Pumpkin Nutrition (per cup cooked):

Calories: 49

Fat: 0.17 grams

Fiber: 2.7 grams

Protein: 2 grams

Calcium: 37 mg

Iron: 1.4 mg

Magnesium: 22 mg

Zinc: 1 mg

Selenium: 1 mg

Niacin: 1 mg

Potassium: 564 mg

Vitamin A: 2650 IU

Vitamin C: 12 mg

Pumpkins can be prepared in many ways. They can be used in soups, casseroles, breads and pies. When buying pumpkins, look for a weighty fruit with no soft spots. They should be firm and heavy for their size. You can store pumpkins in a cool, dark place up to two months before using. Sugar pumpkins are best for cooking since they are less stringy. For a tasty and nutritious snack rinse the removed seeds (pepitas) well to remove any pulp. Let them dry overnight. Spread the seeds onto a baking sheet lightly coated with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, garlic, paprika or other seasonings of your choice. Bake for one hour at 250 degrees.

Here are some fun pumpkin facts:

1. Pumpkins are a fruit.
2. The name pumpkin came from “pepon” – the Greek word for large melon.
3. Pumpkins are grown all over the world on six of the seven continents.
4. The top US pumpkin production states are Illinois, Ohio, Pennsylvania and California.
5. The pumpkin capital of the world is Morton, Illinois.
6. Pumpkins are grown primarily for processing. Only a small percentage are grown for ornamental sales.
7. Irish immigrants brought pumpkin carving to the US.
8. The largest pumpkin ever grown weighed 1,140 pounds.
9. The largest pumpkin pie ever made was over five feet in diameter and weighed over 350 pounds.
10. In early Colonial times, pumpkins were used as an ingredient for the crust of pies, not the filling.
11. Later Colonists sliced off pumpkin tops, removed the seeds and filled the insides with milk, spices and honey. The pumpkin was then baked in hot ashes and is the origin of pumpkin pie.

All the Best!

Steve Victor

Seasonal food has been practiced since ancient times when people ate what nature provided according to the seasons. Different foods were eaten at different times of the year according to the harvest. Seasonal food is when the item is the cheapest, freshest and best tasting. I asked Jody Victor® to give us some details.

Jody Victor®: In the 8^th century the choice of what to eat in each season became a conscious social event. The Cordoba Calendar was an historical record that provided detailed information about the eating habits of Spain in the mid 10^th century. Winter meals consisted of rich vegetables such as beets, cauliflower, carrots, celery, peas, broad beans and lentils along with olives, hard wheat, couscous, pasta, walnuts, almonds and pine kernels. Fruity desserts consisted of dried figs, dates, raisins and prunes. The summer diet was filled with green beans, lettuces, carrots, cucumber, watercress and rice. Fruity desserts were made from lemons, quinces, nectarines, mulberries, cherries, plums, apricots, grapes, pears, apples and melons. Fall meals included summer foods that had more lasting power such as cauliflower, carrots, celery, gourds, turnips, parsnips, onions, acorns and olive oil. Spring meals were made from fall foods that lasted through winter and crops that could be planted very early in cooler weather such as spinach, asparagus, lettuces, marrow, fennel, artichokes, truffles, peas, basil, mint and sweet marjoram.

Over the centuries people have become ignorant of seasonal food. The main reason we became disassociated from our food goes back to the 16^th century when the acts of enclosure reduced the amount of common land on which people could graze animals and grow food. A few landholders held most of the agricultural land. The small landowners who grew and raised their own food became a rarity. People began to lose their connection with the land. Then came the industrial revolution. People moved into towns and cities in large numbers. They became less and less involved in and aware of nature’s seasonal cycles. The diet of industrial workers declined and was the precursor to today’s quick-fix carb, sugar and caffeine diet.

During the 1940’s the hardships of war sent many people back to the land with their backyard gardens to grow and raise their own food. Nutritionally this was one of the healthiest points in human history. After the war, peoples’ fear of wartime rationing and the inability to feed themselves made them turn once again to industrialization. Chemical agriculture was their solution. This removed more people from the land. The consequence of industrial farming is that culturally we know less and less about where our food comes from.

The biggest contributor today to our ignorance about seasonal food are the supermarkets. Supermarket shelves today are filled with the same abundance of fresh produce all year round. The supermarket-driven insistence on predictability of supply and permanent summertime food has made our food chain very oil-dependent. The typical American meal travels 1500 miles to our table. The “food miles” used in airfreighting out-of-season produce also contributes substantially to carbon dioxide emissions. Greenhouses and polytunnels are heated to provide out-of-season produce, adding more greenhouse emissions.

It is a good thing that we do not have to worry about going hungry during the fresh food-gap months or worry about scurvy and other nutritional deficiencies. However, it appears we have completely turned seasonal food on its head. Do we really need strawberries for Christmas? Or asparagus for New Year’s? Blackberries that are free for the picking in July, but cost a small fortune in February? How about those winter tomatoes? How do they taste? The nutritional quality of most fruits and vegetables degrades over time. Produce that has traveled a long distance is lower in nutrients than produce that is picked in season and sold locally. For example: the huge health benefits of broccoli and asparagus can completely disappear over time. Modified atmosphere packaging, which is used to help produce travel further, has been shown to degrade the nutrients in salads.

Eating seasonally can be a positive way to move us back to a food chain that benefits customers, small farmers and our communities. Here are six reasons why seasonal food is a great idea:

1. Food tastes better in season.
2. Food is nutritionally better in season.
3. Seasonal food is cheaper.
4. Seasonal food encourages preserving the surplus for the winter months.
5. Seasonal food supports your local farmer and your local economy.
6. Seasonal food is better for the environment.

All the Best!!

Steve Victor

We are all aware of the merits of eating in instead of eating out. In the case of home cooked versus fast food, we know it’s much healthier to eat in. Monosodium glutamate (MSG) is in almost all fast food. Medical studies show that MSG causes obesity. In addition, all the techniques for processing fast food virtually destroy the flavor of the fast food. Chemicals under the label of  “natural flavors” are then added to put the taste back in. The fewer chemicals you have in your body, the better you feel. Chemicals in food have been shown to cause obesity, cancer and neurological complaints. We have also learned that real, whole foods give the body more energy. Whole foods give the body the power it needs in the natural way the body is meant to take it. I asked Jody Victor®  to lay out a plan for us.

Jody Victor®: If you plan on cutting fast foods out of your diet (and your wallet) and preparing more meals at home, learn to navigate your grocery store for the best nutritional bang for your buck. Select most of your food from the periphery of the store. That’s where you’ll find the real, whole fruits, vegetables, bulk grains, nuts and dairy products. Avoid the expensive, over-processed packages on the interior shelves.

Here is a list of some very healthy foods that cost under $1:

1. Apples- tasty, cheap and filling.
2. Bananas- a dollar will get you one a day for the workweek.
3. Beets- packed with nutrients. Use the greens as well in salads or stir-fry.
4. Broccoli- cheap and easy to cook.
5. Butternut squash- in season, less than a dollar a pound.
6. Coffee- when you make it at home it’s just 50 cents a cup.
7. Eggs- one of the cheapest sources of protein.
8. Garbanzo beans/chickpeas- cheapest in dry form, but still a good value precooked.
9. Kale- cheapest greens in the store.
10. Milk- per serving, milk and milk products like yogurt are still under a dollar.
11. Nuts- peanuts, walnuts and almonds in the shell are a good value for the nutrients.
12. Oats- high in fiber and good for cholesterol. One dollar will get you a week’s worth of breakfast.
13. Potatoes- eat skin and all for a good source of vitamin C and potassium. Sweet potatoes and yams add beta-carotene.
14. Sardines- so low on the food chain it doesn’t accumulate mercury and adds lots of nutrition.
15. Spinach- cheap year-round and packed with nutrition.
16. Tofu- cheap protein source.
17. Whole grain pasta- stick to whole grain for nutritional punch.
18. Wild rice- costs about the same as white rice but has more nutritional value.

All the Best!

Steve Victor