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Mainly clear. Low 72F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph.

A freshly carved turkey awaits hungry visitors during a recent community Thanksgiving dinner in Neosho.Globe file

A plate of traditional Thanksgiving fare doesn’t have to break your diet if you can limit it to just one day.Globe file

Turkey is a lean source of protein, and contains key nutrients such as iron, zinc, riboflavin, thiamine, and vitamins B6 and B12. It also has niacin, selenium and choline. In other words, you can’t go wrong with this protein.Globe file

A freshly carved turkey awaits hungry visitors during a recent community Thanksgiving dinner in Neosho.Globe file

A plate of traditional Thanksgiving fare doesn’t have to break your diet if you can limit it to just one day.Globe file

Turkey is a lean source of protein, and contains key nutrients such as iron, zinc, riboflavin, thiamine, and vitamins B6 and B12. It also has niacin, selenium and choline. In other words, you can’t go wrong with this protein.Globe file

There’s no sugar-coating it, folks. Americans consume tons of fatty foods on Thanksgiving.

According to estimates from the Calorie Control Council, Americans will consume an average of 4,500 calories and between 150 to 200 grams of fat on Nov. 25.

It’s ironic, in a way. Turkey — the centerpiece of Thanksgiving dinner — is one of the leanest, healthiest meats out there. and a slice of pumpkin pie — by far the most popular Thanksgiving dessert — is loaded with fiber and vitamin A. Sadly, those slices of turkey and pumpkin pie are often surrounded by starchy, carb-loaded side dishes and appetizers, along with tasty but fatty desserts.

Should a diet-fasting person suddenly shift into feasting mode without second thoughts? Or should they nibble on turkey and pumpkin pie and pick and choose from among the buttered rolls, the gravy-smothered mashed potatoes and the sugar-glazed apple pie?

According to local nutritionists and dietitians, people should simply enjoy the day.

“For most healthy adults, one meal won’t have a lasting impact on one’s overall health,” said Whitney Kitchell, clinical nutrition manager for Freeman Health System. “Our bodies have ways to adapting” to a sudden influx of extra food.

“Thanksgiving is a special day to be with family and friends — we should enjoy it,” said Dr. Andrea Cullers, co-director of the Lion Co-op and an associate professor of kinesiology at Missouri Southern State University. “Just make sure Thanksgiving is a day and not a week — try not to make the Thanksgiving celebration too long. If you don’t make it a season of three months, you’ll be fine.

A single day out of the year to splurge on fatty foods, Cullers continued, “won’t hurt anyone.”

According to nutritionist Rachel Hartley, there’s no reason to stress about Thanksgiving eating. After all, the holiday is primarily built around Americans giving thanks to the nation’s farmers for providing an abundance of food each year.

She lives by a simple rule when sitting down at the dinner table: Eat what you like; pass on what you don’t.

“You have permission to not eat foods you don’t like,” Hartley wrote in her nationally syndicated blog. “Me? I don’t like green bean casserole, so I don’t eat it.”

Cullers offered her strategy when it comes to selecting what foods to eat and what foods to ignore at Thanksgiving.

“Focus on what you don’t normally eat,” she said. “The food that’s on the table that’s pretty common and may not be that special” — mashed potatoes or corn or salad are examples — “don’t eat them. If it’s something like your mom’s homemade chicken and noodles, or a special type of stuffing that you get just once a year — foods that are really special and that you only get at Thanksgiving — put those (foods) on your plate … so you can really enjoy them.

“We so often remember our family members by what they make, and having those memories is really important,” Cullers continued, “so don’t deprive yourself of those special memories of what your mom brings to Thanksgiving, or your aunt … because those are the things you’re going to remember after they are gone. So enjoy that.”

However, common sense should always be applied when eating a large dinner, whether one is purposely counting calories or not.

“Your typical sides — the mashed potatoes and gravy, stuffing, the hot dinner rolls — they aren’t inherently bad for us, it’s just the quantity” in which they are consumed, Kitchell said.

Keeping portions on the plate small is one good practice to follow. Try to limit yourself to just a single plate of food, with no second helpings. Drinking water or tea during dinner, rather than wine or eggnog, helps keep the appetite suppressed as you eat. Place limits on fried foods, as well as butter, cheese and cream. Instead of making green bean casserole, maybe go with a healthier alternative — green beans steamed with lemons and sprinkled with almonds. and if you truly want to avoid some of the fattiest foods on the table, just say no to a helping of sweet potato casserole or an oversized slice of pecan pie.

“Just eat in moderation,” Kitchell said.

But that shouldn’t apply to everyone, she added. For example, people who have medical issues that require a modified diet — people who are diabetic or have kidney or heart disease or gastrointestinal problems — one meal could make a difference in their health, Kitchell said. To that end, they are on modified diets and need to watch what they eat, particularly the side dishes, where the fats can quickly add up.

“For those people who need special diets, take one or two of (your) favorite foods on holidays that may be high in salt or sugar and enjoy them in small portions,” she said. “And then round out your meals with some of these other options that are lower in sodium, fat, sugar and starch.”

Kevin McClintock is features editor for The Joplin Globe.

A typical Thanksgiving Day meal = 1,777 calories. 

• 1 cup serving mashed potatoes and gravy – 257 calories

• 6-ounce glass of wine –120 calories

Kevin McClintock is features editor for The Joplin Globe as well as editor of the award-winning Joplin Magazine, a bi-monthly lifestyles magazine. Kevin has been with The Joplin Globe since 2009. He can be reached at 417-627-7279.

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