Nutrition expert and "Women's Health" magazine contributor Keri Glassman is here to discuss healthy Thanksgiving meals we can enjoy.
Pour seltzer water into your wine.
Glass of wine: When it comes to pairing your meal with the right drink, we often reach for glass after glass after glass of wine. While a single glass of wine can pair nicely with your feast, there's no reason to go for more than just that: one glass. The average 3.5 oz. glass of wine has 375 calories.
Glass of wine and two cups of seltzer water: Let's see the healthier choice... Pour seltzer water into each wine glass. It will help you save calories from all the wine. Drink 1.5 oz. glass of wine and add 2 cups of seltzer water... It's only 125 total calories. Your total calorie savings are 250! Remember to drink responsibly!
Load your plate with healthy vegetables.
Green bean casserole: It's always best to start by filling up your plate with a few different vegetables, though it is important to choose the right, clean ones. People will load up on green bean casserole because when you think green beans you think vegetable – you assume it's healthy. But green bean casserole is cooked in a TON of butter. At 240 calories per serving, there's so much added fat in a green bean casserole dish you might as well eat a stick of butter.
Honey-glazed carrots: Let's see the healthier choice... Load your plate with healthy vegetables! A calorie saving vegetable dish is honey-glazed carrots. They have less fat, and can be sautéed rather than baked. If you're choosing between the traditional honey-glazed carrots, and the green bean casserole, at 194 calories per serving, the honey-glazed carrots save you 46 calories.
Choose skinless white turkey meat.
Dark meat with skin: After you've got a decent serving of veggies on your plate, it's time to move onto the lean protein. Many people believe that dark meat tastes better (thigh and wing) but in general, it's much fattier and if you eat the skin, it's unnecessary added calories. A 6 oz. serving of dark meat turkey (thigh and wing) is 382 calories. That's a lot!
White meat without skin: Let's see the healthier choice... Choose skinless white meat! This year for Thanksgiving, remove the turkey skin! It's lean protein and only 228 calories. If you decide to eat skinless white meat turkey over dark meat, you'll save yourself 154 calories.
Select one starch that will satisfy you.
Sweet potato casserole: Let's move onto the starchier veggies, such as potatoes. An average sweet potato casserole is loaded with unnecessary fat and sugar. One cup is 480 calories. People love multiple side dishes with their meal and will often pack on the carb loading.
Medium sweet baked potato: Let's see the healthier choice... Select ONE starch that will satisfy you. What starch do you enjoy the most? Don't eat every starch available. Instead of the sweet potato casserole, choose a medium sweet baked potato. It only has 103 calories per serving and gives you the same delicious taste. The key here is to have one thing that will really satisfy you.
Avoid eating high calorie pies.
Apple pie: You're bound to find an apple-esque dessert, since these fibrous favorites are at their seasonal peak at this time of year. With all of the apple pies, crisps, etc., it may be hard to make a choice, and while the fruit in its whole state is your best bet, chances are, you're looking at a choice between pie, crisp, or crumble. Thanksgiving is pie-central. Pie is one of the unhealthiest desserts. A traditional slice of apple pie (1/8 of a 9" pie) has about 411 calories per serving.
Apple crisp: Let's see the healthier choice... Avoid eating high calorie pies! You can even go one step better and eat an apple crisp. A ½ cup serving of apple crisp is 227 calories. By choosing the apple crisp over a slice of apple pie, you save 184 calories.