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Vegetables are the root of nourishing holiday meals

This holiday season, eat more vegetarian meals

Date published: 11/22/2009

BY DONYA CURRIE

Now that the Halloween-to-New Year's eating season is upon us, there's one sure way to up your fruit and veggie intake while possibly preventing that tight-pants feeling come January.

No, you don't have to eliminate meat entirely--although many say that's a healthful and rewarding option. But leaning toward a more vegetarian meal plan can help cut down on artery-clogging saturated fat, increase your fiber intake, and increase the odds of pleasing even the pickiest of relatives at holiday dinners.

Studies have shown that meat eaters, as a rule, are more likely to be overweight than vegetarians. And increased fruit and vegetable intake can protect against developing diabetes and some cancers.

That doesn't mean you have to shun the Thanksgiving turkey.

"It's important that people remember that what you exclude from your diet is not as important as what you're sure to include," said local dietitian Nancy Farrell.

Farrell stresses the importance of eating a variety of foods and balancing a heavier meal--such as Thanksgiving dinner--with a lighter lunch. A veggie sandwich with lettuce, tomato and hummus is a good option, or a bowl of white bean soup and low-fat, whole-grain crackers.

BE CHOOSY

For people who do eat meat, Dr. Robert Vranian, a Fredericksburg cardiologist, has long counseled eating palm-size servings and being choosy about the type of animal they put on their plates. Turkey happens to be one of the heart-healthy options, along with other skinless poultry and seafood.

"We advise people, in general, to stay away from things that were raised on a farm and had hair on their backs," said Vranian.

He also recommends lower-fat versions of dairy products. "Try to avoid processed meats, which have an excess of fat in them," Vranian said.

Farrell, the dietitian, said there are clear health benefits to eating less meat.

"We know that if we cut down on our meat intake, we can drop our blood cholesterol levels so we don't have these atherosclerotic arteries," Farrell said.

'NOT ABOUT RESTRICTIONS'

For Gloria Lloyd, 69, meat was never one of her favorite foods, and 19 years ago she became a vegetarian. She and Christine Carlson, 32, head the vegetarian group at the Fredericksburg Unitarian Universalist Church.

Holiday time, Lloyd said, offers an opportunity for compromise at family gatherings.

Date published: 11/22/2009