Avoid a caloric knockout this Thanksgiving

Planning to enjoy your Thanksgiving dinner? Then you have a lot of work to do.

And we’re not just talking about prep work, cooking and cleanup. According to CoachUp, whose information includes data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Mayo Clinic, the average American Thanksgiving runs up to 4,500 calories, or as much as seven McDonald’s Big Macs.

CoachUp provided the accompanying informational graphic, which explains where the work comes in. You’ll need to run for 7.7 hours, or bicycle for 15 hours, to burn all those calories.

Geetha Krishnan, a registered dietitian and diabetes educator with University Medical Center, said there are ways to minimize the dietary destruction, the caloric catastrophe. And luckily, the centerpiece of the meal isn’t the place to start.

“With something like turkey, there’s not a lot of fat in there,” she said, although she cautions against the use of high-sodium seasonings for rubbing or brining.

Gravy can be a problem, but Krishnan suggests using a low-sodium, fat-free packaged turkey broth as the basis for a more healthful gravy.

“Put a little flour with it, and a little canola oil if you have to add some fat,” she said.

She cautions against using high-sodium stuffing mixes; look for low-sodium versions or make your own.

“For cranberry sauce,” she said, “my suggestion is to buy some frozen cranberries. You can make a sauce very quickly, and control the sugar. Just put them in a blender and you have a sauce.”

Noting that pies are particularly popular at Thanksgiving, Krishnan suggests looking for a ready-made crust that’s lower in fat.

“Just buy a jar of pumpkin puree,” she said. “Put it in and bake your own pie. I’ve tried it myself and it turns out pretty good. You have the ready crust, you have the ready pumpkin puree, you just have to put them together. The sweet-potato puree and the pumpkin puree are excellent. It works beautifully for pies.”

Portion control is particularly important to remember at this time of year, she said. If willpower is a problem for you and your guests, she suggests an easy form of portion control.

“If you look at places like Trader Joe’s, they have these bite-sized desserts,” Krishnan said. “Buy these and put them on a tray. Or if you have a whole pie, cut it ahead of time and place them on the table. Most times people think twice before going back for seconds.”

Here are a few more tips, from the Mayo Clinic:

■ While turkey naturally has almost no saturated fat, self-basting birds have been injected with butter or oil. Instead, baste with low-fat and low-sodium broth, wine or juice.

■ Leave the skins on when you make mashed potatoes, because they add healthful fiber.

■ Use whole-grain bread in your stuffing, adding fresh herbs or the classic combination of carrots, onions and celery for flavor. Or use wild rice, which is another good source of fiber, and mix it with dried fruit or the aforementioned vegetables.

■ Cut winter squash in cubes or half-moon shapes and roast it, with a bit of olive oil and some fresh herbs, until it’s soft in the middle and brown on the edges.

■ Treat vegetables very simply, avoiding things such as cream of mushroom soup in favor of a bit of lemon zest.

■ Don’t forget the fruit, Krishnan said; make a nice fruit salad or a display of fresh fruit.

“A lot of people just concentrate on the cranberry sauce and gravies,” she said. “I like to push more vegetables and make them healthy. If you don’t have time to make them, buy a tray of stir-fried vegetables or buy roasted vegetables by the pound.

“When roasted vegetables are on the tray, most people go for that first. It makes the vegetables tastier, and they take less of everything else.”

Contact reporter Heidi Knapp Rinella at hrinella@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0474.