More than 90 percent of Americans are preparing to celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday next week, and may already be dreaming about what their family will serve up.
Warm, fluffy stuffing, bread crumb-crusted mac and cheese, gravy-filled, buttery mashed potatoes and pumpkin pie are fan favorites – but they can also leave your intestinal system in distress and send you running for the bathroom.
Many of these holiday staples are high in fat and refined sugar that can slow digestion, leading to uncomfortable bloating and gas.
But experts say making better choices for what to add to your Turkey Day plate can help to prevent discomfort.
“Thanksgiving doesn’t have to be an all-or-nothing holiday,” Hartford Healthcare’s Dr. Ulysses Wu said in a statement shared with The Independent. “It’s about enjoying the foods you love while making choices that support your health.”
What dishes should you add for a more pleasant post-dinner experience this year? It depends on what phase of the meal you’re talking about.
An appetizing start
While the turkey is still in the oven, appetizers can help to provide prebiotic fiber necessary to keep the trillions of bacteria in our gut happy, Amanda Beaver, a registered dietitian nutritionist at Houston Methodist, told The Independent.
Prebiotic fiber is a carbohydrate that feeds the species living in our intestines, supporting heart and digestive health.
She recommends starting off with a cheeseboard, including a mix of apples, grapes, crunchy veggies, nuts and hummus. Just stay away from cured meats.
“Those tend to be one of the worst things for our gut health just because they can contain nitrates that increase our risk of colon cancers,” Beaver said.
Overall gut health is supported by eating a Mediterranean diet, added UW Hospital and Clinics registered dietitian Gail Underbakke.
“Lots of vegetables and fruit, whole grains instead of refined, leaner meats, and liquid fats instead of solid whenever possible,” she said.
Dinnertime decisions
Now that the bird is out of the oven, the hard choices begin.
“It’s all about being mindful and having moderation,” Dr. Ramy Sadek, a board-certified cardiologist practicing at UCR Health in Riverside, California, told The Independent.
Fortunately, there’s no shortage of fiber in some of America’s favorite Thanksgiving side dishes – even mashed potatoes.
“And I think a lot of people think of those foods as just kind of empty calories or carbs,” said Beaver. “But the truth is that even potatoes do have some prebiotic fibers in them.”
A cup of mashed potatoes has more than three grams. The same amount of brussel sprouts may have double that amount.
Having variety on your plate is also crucial to supporting your gut, Beaver said. She’d add broccoli or butternut squash to the mix.
“Because then we’re getting some variety and some diversity and each of those different veggies are going to contribute positively to our gut microbiome,” she explained.
One option Beaver recommends is squash halves served with toasted walnuts or pecans. The combination can provide a third or more of the recommended 25 to 30 grams adults need each day.
Easily digested dessert
Sweet potato pie is also a fiber forward dessert.
A slice of sweet potato pie has between two and four grams, whereas pumpkin only has around two.
Removing the whipped cream or marshmallow topping should also be beneficial.
“You’ll still enjoy everything you love, just in a way that leaves you feeling good afterward,” said Wu.
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