With the passage of Halloween comes chillier weather, clunkier sweaters, dreaded finals, and the excitement of the approaching holiday season. Families are gathered to exchange gifts, make memories, and, if your family is anything like mine, eat an abundance of food. At my house, the Thanksgiving table is packed tightly and covered in tasty, classic Thanksgiving dishes; and trust me when I say I love all of them. With that, let’s get into some classic Thanksgiving day myths and how to maintain a positive relationship with food this holiday season.
Myth: “Turkey makes me tired!”
A myth as old as time (and one I believed until I was 19 years old, debunked by my anatomy and physiology teacher). This myth is derived from the presence of tryptophan in turkey. Tryptophan is an essential amino acid that synthesizes serotonin and melatonin. This results in the misconception that eating a lot of turkey (and therefore a lot of tryptophan) causes sleepiness following the Thanksgiving feast. However, it is actually a lot more simple than that. After you eat a big meal, turkey or no turkey, your body puts in a lot of work to digest that meal. During this digestion, blood from the brain flows down towards the gut and puts the body in a state of relaxation (“rest and digest” is the nickname for the parasympathetic nervous system). During digestion, the parasympathetic nervous system will also reduce your heart rate and involuntarily relax your smooth muscle tissue. So no, it’s not the tryptophan in the turkey causing your post-feast sleepiness on Thanksgiving, it’s just your body getting to work on digesting all of those nutrients.
Myth: “Thanksgiving dinner is so bad for you!”
First of all, Thanksgiving is not a day to be hung up on any kind of macronutrient distribution or calories consumed, it is a day to direct your attention to the people who you love and feel grateful for. Second of all, no classic Thanksgiving dish is “bad” for you in moderation; most of them contain important nutrients. Roasted vegetables and green bean casserole both contain dietary fiber and important vitamins. Turkey provides B vitamins and high-quality protein. Mashed potatoes provide complex carbohydrates and potassium. Gravy contains fat (which we need!) and cranberry sauce, one of my favorites, provides antioxidants.
Myth: “I shouldn’t eat all day before Thanksgiving dinner”
Wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong. I cannot emphasize this enough, it is so important to eat on Thanksgiving Day before the big feast. If you were to fast until dinner time on Thanksgiving day, your blood sugar would drop low, causing sluggishness, irritability, hunger, and even shaking or sweating. First of all, that’s not the way anyone wants to feel on a holiday. Second of all, low blood sugar can be harmful to the body. Our bodies are most sensitive to insulin, a hormone that regulates blood sugar levels by moving glucose from the bloodstream into our cells, in the morning. Because of this, eating a balanced breakfast is likely to set you up for a more stable blood sugar throughout the entire day. If you’re looking to keep your blood sugar even more stable, I suggest taking a walk shortly after dinnertime (maybe even the notorious “cousin walk”) to help with the likely (and totally normal!) spike in blood sugar from that Thanksgiving feast.
MYTH: “White meat is healthier than dark meat”
When it comes to picking between white meat or dark meat on Thanksgiving day (FYI: I love both), the only thing you should let guide your decision is preference. For me, this means white meat slathered in gravy or cranberry sauce. The reason white meat is misconceived as healthier than dark meat is because it is lower in saturated fat (and therefore lower in calories). However, dark meat is more rich in minerals (zinc, iron), and contains an amino acid called taurine, which is supported by research as being super heart-healthy. White and dark meat of the turkey are both delicious, protein-rich, and come with their own benefits… so please, just pick whichever one you like the best.
Give yourself permission to indulge this holiday season
The holidays are a time for loved ones, good memories, and expressing gratitude, NOT for any form of restrictive eating. An important way to express gratitude is to appreciate your body for all of its wonderful functions, as well as the delicious food you get to eat. As a dietetics major, I’m a total foodie, of course. I see food as something to enjoy, as a privilege, and as something that can be bonding. Preparing and sharing a meal with people you love is such an important part of the holiday season, and not something to miss out on. I highly recommend registered dietitian Taylor Grasso’s podcast episode “Intuitive Eating for the Holidays” to learn more about guilt-free, sustainable, intuitive eating habits to guide you through the holiday season.
I’m looking forward to embracing delicious holiday dishes with my family this season. Whether it’s turkey with gravy on Thanksgiving, latkes for Hanukkah, or sugar cookies on Christmas, I am going to enjoy these classic treats without guilt and listen to what my body wants. How will you take care of your body (and your mind!) this holiday season?