Healthy Takes on Your Favorite Thanksgiving Day Sides

Updated May 13, 2015.

Thanksgiving Day is a holiday full of scrumptious foods. Green bean casserole, fluffy mashed potatoes – there are many side dishes that can be as equally delicious as the turkey. While many of these dishes have healthy intentions, they can also be chock-full of cholesterol and saturated fat – which can cause your cholesterol and triglyceride levels to increase. Luckily, there are many ways to make even the most fat-laden Thanksgiving sides a little more cholesterol-friendly.

If you are looking to make your favorite side dishes lower in fat this Thanksgiving, try some of these healthy takes on some of your traditional Thanksgiving favorites:

 

Green Beans

Green beans – whether plain or incorporated into a casserole – should be included in your Thanksgiving Day meal plan. Green beans contain many healthy nutrients, such as fiber, phytosterols and vitamins. Unfortunately, some of the ingredients used to make this delicious dish often overshadow the nutrient-rich qualities of green beans. Here are some ways to avoid including extra fat in your green bean dish:

• Cook in olive oil instead of heavy creams. Using oils higher in unsaturated fat, such as olive oil and vegetable oil, to cook your green beans - instead of using butter or heavy creams - can help to reduce the amount of saturated fat in the dish.
• Drop the bacon. Bacon is commonly added when cooking green beans to make them more flavorful. Unfortunately, it can also serve as another source of fat. If you are looking for fat-free alternative to adding flavor, introduce other veggies into the mix, such as chopped garlic, onion, or mushrooms. Even a splash of lemon can add a whole lot of flavor – without the added calories.

• Spice it up. Speaking of low-fat ways to make your green beans taste delicious: spices are also an excellent alternative. Spices may have additional cholesterol-lowering properties and are an alternative way to add flavor without adding calories. Consider adding spices like oregano, rosemary, basil, or even pepper to your green beans.

 

Dressing

Dressing, in itself, is not high in fat. There are many variations of dressing that may not necessarily affect your cholesterol, but could add calories to what is already a filling meal. To make your dressing a little more cholesterol-friendly, be generous with your additions of fruit and veggies. Celery, pears, apples and onions are high-fiber foods that can keep your cholesterol levels in check. If you are looking for more nutritious ways to increase your fiber intake, use whole grain breading, instead of breading made from white bread, to make your dressing.

 

Sweet Potatoes

Sweet potatoes are another common side dish prepared on Thanksgiving Day. Although low in cholesterol and fat, sweet potatoes are sometimes dressed up with other ingredients, which can lower their healthy characteristics. You can bake them, mash them, or steam them without adding fat to them. However, you should not fry them, since this can add saturated fat to this food. Here are some common food additives used

• Say yes to cinnamon. The spice cinnamon is a commonly added ingredient used to enhance flavor. Cinnamon won’t add extra fat to your dish - in fact, some studies have suggested that it can help keep your cholesterol levels healthy.
• Skip the butter and cream. Some recipes call for adding butter or creams to add thickness and richness to the dish. These should be avoided, since this could add extra saturated fat to your dish. If these are essential to your sweet potato recipe, use a low-fat alternative or a dollop of plain yogurt.
• Using marshmallows. Although marshmallows are low in fat and cholesterol, they are relatively high in sugar. You should use these sparingly to avoid adding extra calories to your sweet potatoes.

 

Corn

Corn also contains a high amount of fiber, but many recipes call for you creaming corn, which involves adding full-fat milk or cream to the corn. If possible, this should be avoided. Instead, try using reduced fat milk or skim milk to reduce the amount of fat added. Alternatively, you can add a dollop of low-fat plain yogurt to make the corn a little creamier – without the added fat.

Instead of adding fatty butter or margarine, add a pat of phytosterol-rich spread to your corn. Not only will you be adding a spread that is lower in saturated fat, you are also adding additional phytosterols to your dish.

 

Cranberries

When the holiday season begins with Thanksgiving, cranberries are often seen, too. This delicious fruit has a lot of heart-healthy nutrients – including inflammation-reducing antioxidants, phytosterols, and fiber. They are the perfect, tart side dish for many of the dishes you are serving during the Thanksgiving holiday. To make these healthier, you should prepare these fresh. You can also use frozen cranberries if fresh ones are not available. You should, however, avoid canned cranberries, since some of these varieties may have added sugar. Because they are commonly a hard gel, canned, jellied cranberries may also have a lot of their fiber stripped out of them, thus reducing their nutritional properties.

 

White Potatoes

White potatoes are also a commonly used side dish for holiday dinners. They are versatile and are also low in fat and cholesterol. These potatoes, however, are also the most prone on this list to having fattening ingredients added to them. Keeping them plain is best, mixing in a little bit of fat-free sour cream or skim milk to increase their creaminess if you are mashing them. But if you feel the need to add a little flavor to them, try adding a bit of phytosterol spread or a pinch of pepper. Adding parsley, garlic or chives are also an excellent, low-fat way to give a lot of flavor to your potatoes. If you can, avoid additives such as cheese or bacon to your potatoes. If needed, you can substituted low-fat versions of these foods.