Thanksgiving Food Substitutes to Keep Your Joints Healthy
The big day is just about here; are you ready to gobble up an enormous amount of delicious food? Thanksgiving can be challenging to maneuver through all the delicious food surrounding this holiday, as many popular dishes can cause arthritis symptoms to worsen and potentially ruin your holiday spirit.
Weight maintenance is crucial for ensuring healthy joint inflammation levels, which means it’s ideal to skip on foods that are high-fat, high-calorie, loaded with sugar, and cause inflammation. Extra weight causes pressure and stress on joints leaving arthritis-sufferers in more pain.
Take a look at these foods and food substitutes for popular Thanksgiving meals to do your arthritis a favor and keep you healthy:
- Apples Instead of Pecans
Pies are a food staple for the holiday season. One of them is likely on every Thanksgiving table for dessert, and they’re all sweet and delicious! One of the most popular pie options, pecan pie, is made with sugary, candied pecans in a caramel sauce, which is not ideal for arthritis. Instead, enjoy fruit-based pies with less sugar, such as apple pie, which are just as tasty.
- Roasted Sweet Potatoes Instead of Sweet Potato Casserole
Not just a delicious side dish, sweet potatoes are rich in fiber and antioxidants. However, a popular Thanksgiving dish, sweet potato casserole, often includes brown sugar and marshmallow, which cancel out the vegetables’ benefits. Opt for some roasted or simple mashed sweet potatoes for a healthier alternative.
- Cranberry Sauce Instead of Gravy
What Thanksgiving dinner doesn’t have some cranberry sauce? If you don’t usually eat cranberries on Thanksgiving, you should start! This tasty, sweet fruit adds flavor to any dish and helps fight inflammation with its high levels of antioxidants. Pass on fatty gravy and opt for cranberry sauce instead!
- Whole Grains Instead of White Breads
Stuffing and Thanksgiving are an iconic pairing, and no table is complete without it. Consider making your stuffing with whole-grain bread and adding chicken or vegetable stock with some dried cranberries or fruits and vegetables for added flavor and texture.
- Steamed Green Beans Instead of Green Bean Casserole
The classic green bean casserole, traditionally made with cream of mushroom soup and fried onions, might cause inflammation from the high-saturated fats. Opt for simple steamed green beans or change up your traditional casserole recipe and use a low-fat cream of mushroom soup and sliced almonds on top instead of the fried onions.
Happy eating and happy Thanksgiving!
Orthopaedist in Fairfield County
It’s crucial to seek expert medical treatment if you are dealing with problems or pain associated with your bones or joints. Give the professionals at Orthopaedic Specialty group a call at (203) 337-2600 and let us know how we can help you! Don’t let that pain hold you back from living your life. Your health and safety is our top priority.