Thanksgiving: the start of holiday feasting and the source of January guilt. Could there be something redeeming about those delicious calorie-loaded items piled on the table? Yes. The traditional Thanksgiving menu is actually replete with healthful foods.
Here is a sampling of recent research findings about the benefits of some favorite Thanksgiving dishes.
- Stuffing
Turkey's traditional Thanksgiving partner is rich in antioxidants, studies show. Bread crust - an ingredient in most stuffing - is more healthful than the rest of the bread and crust-rich stuffing is packed with antioxidants. Thomas Hofmann, Ph.D., formerly with the German Research Center of Food Chemistry reported this finding in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.
- Cranberries
This Thanksgiving staple is known to be packed with antioxidants, but new studies suggest that cranberries also can aid recovery from stroke. The red berries, famous in Thanksgiving sauces, may protect brain cells from death after a stroke.
- Corn
Reminiscent of the first Thanksgiving, the meal just wouldn't be the same without corn, and studies show that canned corn may be healthier for you than corn on the cob. Researchers at Cornell University say that heat processing of sweet corn significantly raises the level of naturally occurring compounds that help fight disease, including cancer and heart disease.
- Coffee
For many people, an autumn feast would not be complete without a steaming cup of joe. A newly identified antioxidant found in coffee is particularly potent at preventing colon cancer, according to a recent study.
- Hot Cocoa
Colder weather just begs for a warm mug of hot cocoa. Scientists have found that hot cocoa tops both red wine and tea in antioxidants, chemicals that have been shown to fight cancer, heart disease and aging.
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