Healthy Turkey Day?

Many bemoan the calories in a typical Thanksgiving meal, but traditional foods at this feast can be among the healthiest you can eat. Here are the top five that should make an appearance at your holiday table.

Cranberries

These tart berries, said to have been served at the first Thanksgiving in 1621, are loaded with the antioxidant vitamin C, but our ancestors did not know that they are also a rich source of plant chemicals called bioflavonoids that help fight cancer. Cranberries are too tart to be eaten fresh, so they are usually used in sauces or relishes with added sweetener to cut the sour taste.

Sweet potatoes

Although not related to the white potato, these beautiful tubers should replace white potatoes this Thanksgiving. Sweet potatoes, with their deep orange flesh, are excellent sources of beta-carotene (the plant precursor to vitamin A) and vitamin C. Both of these antioxidant nutrients are needed to strengthen your immune system. Sweet potatoes also provide fiber and potassium, nutrients most Americans lack in their diets.

Turkey

Not the prebasted, frozen variety, but more like the one our ancestors ate. Most of us won't hunt our own, but we can buy a fresh turkey that is not pumped with basting juices and sodium-laden additives. Fresh turkey is low in fat (less than 5 grams per serving) and rich in the vitamins niacin and B6. Dark meat is slightly higher in fat than breast meat, but it also provides more iron. Make sure to use a meat thermometer to check for doneness. Don't rely on the pop-up timer. Turkey should be cooked to 180 degrees to ensure it's done.

Greens

Mustard, turnip, collard or kale -- greens are full of nutrients such as beta-carotene, vitamin C, folate, fiber and calcium. Green leaf plants are the best source of folate, a nutrient that can prevent birth defects.

Pumpkin

Thanksgiving would not be complete without pumpkin pie. This fleshy edible fruit (even though most would classify it as a vegetable) is rich in antioxidants associated with deep orange color -- beta-carotene and vitamin C. It is also rich in potassium and fiber. One slice of pumpkin pie has 350 calories. The same size slice of pecan pie has 520 calories.