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For a healthy side dish, steam some asparagus.
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Side dishes made from vegetables such as sweet potatoes, green beans and beets - |
BY DONYA CURRIE
Now that the Halloween-to-New Year's eating season is upon us, there's one sure way to up your fruit and veggie intake while possibly preventing that tight-pants feeling come January.
No, you don't have to eliminate meat entirely--although many say that's a healthful and rewarding option. But leaning toward a more vegetarian meal plan can help cut down on artery-clogging saturated fat, increase your fiber intake, and increase the odds of pleasing even the pickiest of relatives at holiday dinners.
Studies have shown that meat eaters, as a rule, are more likely to be overweight than vegetarians. And increased fruit and vegetable intake can protect against developing diabetes and some cancers.
That doesn't mean you have to shun the Thanksgiving turkey.
"It's important that people remember that what you exclude from your diet is not as important as what you're sure to include," said local dietitian Nancy Farrell.
Farrell stresses the importance of eating a variety of foods and balancing a heavier meal--such as Thanksgiving dinner--with a lighter lunch. A veggie sandwich with lettuce, tomato and hummus is a good option, or a bowl of white bean soup and low-fat, whole-grain crackers.
BE CHOOSY
For people who do eat meat, Dr. Robert Vranian, a Fredericksburg cardiologist, has long counseled eating palm-size servings and being choosy about the type of animal they put on their plates. Turkey happens to be one of the heart-healthy options, along with other skinless poultry and seafood.
"We advise people, in general, to stay away from things that were raised on a farm and had hair on their backs," said Vranian.
He also recommends lower-fat versions of dairy products. "Try to avoid processed meats, which have an excess of fat in them," Vranian said.
Farrell, the dietitian, said there are clear health benefits to eating less meat.
"We know that if we cut down on our meat intake, we can drop our blood cholesterol levels so we don't have these atherosclerotic arteries," Farrell said.
'NOT ABOUT RESTRICTIONS'
For Gloria Lloyd, 69, meat was never one of her favorite foods, and 19 years ago she became a vegetarian. She and Christine Carlson, 32, head the vegetarian group at the Fredericksburg Unitarian Universalist Church.
Holiday time, Lloyd said, offers an opportunity for compromise at family gatherings.
This Thanksgiving, for example, her brother-in-law will cook a turkey breast the day before. That way Lloyd won't be greeted by the smell of a roasting turkey or the sight of an entire bird in the center of the table.
She will bring vegan mushroom gravy and dressing to add to the meal.
Carlson, whose husband of six years is not a vegetarian, said holidays are a time to "strike a balance" at meal time.
Like Lloyd, she follows a vegan diet, meaning no meat and no animal products including eggs, cheese, butter or other animal fats. But her enthusiasm for trying new recipes and her dietary knowledge means each meal is packed with nutrients.
"It's not about restrictions," Carlson said. "It's not about what you can't eat."
Like Lloyd, Carlson is fit and active and believes her vegan eating plan helps her maintain a healthy weight.
"Food is fun," Carlson said. "And it should be."
BRING A FRUIT SALAD
Nationally, most people are falling short of the recommended intake of fruits and vegetables. The Healthy People 2010 goal is for 75 percent of Americans to be eating at least two fruits a day, and for 50 percent to be eating at least three servings of vegetables daily.
Virginia is about on par with the national average when it comes to fruit intake, with a measly 33 percent of adults eating two fruits servings a day. About 31 percent of state residents meet the three daily vegetable servings goal.
The holiday season is as good a time as any to give fruits and vegetables more space on your plate.
"Not every dish on the table has to be rich and heavy," Farrell said.
Farrell suggests topping steamed vegetables with walnuts or vinaigrette dressing. Put a bowl of cut-up fruit next to the pies. And strawberries with chocolate dip make a fiber-and-vitamin-rich, fun dessert.
You also can alter traditional recipes to cut down on meat and increase the good stuff. A bread stuffing recipe that calls for sausage might taste just as great by halving the meat and doubling the celery and onions.
In recipes that call for dairy products, try the lower-fat or fat-free versions. Breakstone makes no-fat sour cream, and Farrell said "you can't even tell the difference" between that and the traditional version. Regular sour cream, by the way, has a whopping 45 grams of fat per cup.
"If you're going to a party, be the person to opt to bring the lower-calorie vegetarian recipe," Farrell said. "You know there will be a lot of other things there. Bring that simple fruit salad. The kids will like it, too."
VEGETARIAN, ALL THE WAY
Vegetarians Lloyd and Carlson can wax poetic about the many delicious holiday dishes they gravitate toward this time of year.
Some of their favorites include bread stuffing with chestnuts, sweet potato casserole and roasted vegetables.
They also love a vegan lemon bundt cake that always gets raves. It's made with coconut milk and has the texture of traditional pound cake.
"I don't feel deprived," Lloyd said about avoiding animal products. "I think it's more fun than standard eating."
Donya Currie is a freelance writer who regularly contributes to Healthy Living and to other health-related publications, including the AARP Bulletin.
