When the pilgrims celebrated their first harvest in 1621 with a three-day feast of thanksgiving, little did they know that one day, their feast would be proclaimed a national holiday by George Washington in 1789. It was further reiterated by Abraham Lincoln, who, during the civil war in 1863, proclaimed a national day of “thanksgiving and praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the heavens,” to be celebrated on the last Thursday of November.
Since then, Thanksgiving has been one of the biggest holidays celebrated in the USA.
Family reunions are a big tradition during Thanksgiving Day. It is a day to show your love and count your blessings. Most families pray together before they start their Thanksgiving meal.
People take off from work for four to five days to be with their loved ones.
The feast
Baked or roast turkey is usually the main fare. It is stuffed with a bread-based mixture, which is flavored with sage, along with chopped celery, carrots, and onions. Chopped chestnuts or other tree nuts, crumbled sausage or bacon, cranberries, raisins, and apples may be added to the stuffing. Mashed potatoes with gravy, sweet potatoes, cranberry sauce, sweet corn, fall vegetables, cornbread (in the South and parts of New England) biscuits, salads could be the side dishes.
Other dishes reflect the region or cultural background of those celebrating. For example, an Italian-American family may have lasagna added to the meal while African Americans and Southeners serve baked macaroni and cheese.
For dessert, various pies are often served, but the most popular are apple pie, mincemeat pie, sweet potato pie, pumpkin pie, chocolate cream pie, and pecan pie.
Because of the amount of food served, the Thanksgiving meal is often served at midday or early afternoon to make time for all the eating.
But the good news is, turkey, the main course of the meal, has a lot of nutritional values.
So go sparse on the side dishes, but not on the turkey.
Health benefits of Turkey
Turkey lovers will be happy to know that it contains Vitamins B-6, B-12, niacin, choline, selenium, and zinc. (The dark meat of turkey tends to contain more vitamins and minerals but also has more fat and calories.)
Turkey is a rich source of protein and the minerals iron, potassium, and phosphorous. Regular consumption of turkey can help lower cholesterol levels. The meat is low in Glycemic Index and can help keep insulin levels stable.
Turkey contains the amino acid tryptophan, which produces serotonin and plays an important role in strengthening the immune system.
The selenium in turkey is essential for thyroid hormone metabolism. It also boosts immunity and acts as an antioxidant. Studies have suggested that higher intakes of selenium may decrease the risk of colorectal, prostate, lung, bladder, skin esophageal, and gastric cancers.
Turkey tips
• Go for fresh, lean, organic and pasture-raised turkey, which has been raised in humane conditions without antibiotics. Factory-farmed and conventionally raised turkeys are often injected with salt, water, and other preservatives during processing to extend shelf life and cut costs! Pasture-raised turkeys with access to vegetation have higher Omega 3 content than factory-farmed turkeys.
• Make sure to cook turkey until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F to reduce the risk of food poisoning.
• Avoid processed turkey in the form of deli meats, hot dogs, turkey bacon, and pre-packed turkey burgers. They are high in sodium and preservatives (nitrites), which are harmful to the health. As intake of processed meat goes up, the risks of obesity, heart disease, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, cancer, and infertility increase as well.
• Turkey dries out easily, so don’t overcook it.
• Turkey is highly sensitive to heat, so refrigerate it right away after marinating it.
• Store turkey separate from any gravy, stuffing or raw food.
• Refrigerated turkey will keep for about one to two days. Cooked turkey will keep for about four days.
— Sources: Megan Ware for medicalnewstoday.com; bodyandsoul.com.