3 Thanksgiving Dinner Myths REVEALED (Surprising!)

By Dr. Scott Olson, ND Posted November 15, 2023

We can all agree that the best part of Thanksgiving is the MEAL itself.

But the next best part has to be all the tall TALES told around the dinner table as everyone shares their favorite bits of family lore.

Some of them are true. And some… well… let’s just say we ALL have an uncle who loves to tell a good fish tale.

But, it turns out, some of the biggest whoppers told aren’t about the family. They’re about the meal itself!

The most common Thanksgiving myth is about the turkey.

At the end of the meal, someone will invariably yawn and say, “It must be the tryptophan!” After all, turkey is a source of the sleep-inducing amino acid.

Except… there’s not nearly enough on your plate to have any noticeable or immediate impact.

Most of us get sleepy after Thanksgiving dinner for a much simpler reason. We ate too much! (And likely loaded up on carbs.)

And that causes your whole body to slow as it processes all that food.

But that’s hardly the only myth told about America’s favorite dinner of the year. I’ve got three more to share.

MYTH #1: You should only eat the white meat and avoid the skin

Everyone knows fresh turkey breast is healthy. But many folks also believe the rest of the Thanksgiving bird is bad for you.

Not true. The dark meat on any bird is an excellent source of minerals and other nutrients. In fact, it technically may contain MORE good-for-you nutrients than white meat.

And the skin is supposedly the unhealthiest part, right? WRONG.

Most of the fats that supposedly make the skin bad for you drip down into the pan when the bird is cooked. What’s left in the skin has an excellent fat profile, even by mainstream’s often misguided standards.

MYTH #2: Cranberry is healthy

Well, okay, I admit this one ISN’T strictly a myth because cranberry IS healthy.

But if you’ve ever made cranberry sauce, you KNOW what’s in it. A TON of sugar.

That’s because raw cranberries are so tart they’re practically inedible.

So, pass on the cranberry sauce. Or better yet, make your own healthier version instead.

Simply toss the berries, stevia, a whole orange (peel and all), and a dash of vanilla extract into a food processor or blender.

MYTH #3 Pumpkin pie is BAD for you

Okay, so pumpkin pie isn’t exactly the healthiest thing you can eat. It’s got added sugar in it, after all.

But Thanksgiving is a special occasion. And if you cook the pie yourself, you can tweak the recipe, cut the sugar, and boost the benefits.

If you search online, you’ll find some great recipes that use much less sweetener to start with. Look for one that uses an actual “sugar pumpkin” rather than the stuff from the can. And stevia can replace missing sugar if it’s still not sweet enough.

Pumpkin is packed with fiber, protein, and essential vitamins, including A and K. That alone makes it a healthier treat than most desserts.

But the cinnamon in the pie adds an EXTRA benefits boost. Natural cinnamon supports healthy blood sugar and is loaded with age-fighting antioxidants.

P.S. 5 reasons to load up on THIS “holiday berry.”

Source:

Fernstrom JD. “Effects and side effects associated with the non-nutritional use of tryptophan by humans.” J Nutr. 2012 Dec;142(12):2236S-2244S. doi: 10.3945/jn.111.157065. Epub 2012 Oct 17. PMID: 23077193.

Written By Dr. Scott Olson, ND

Nearly 25 years ago, failed mainstream medical treatments left Dr. Olson in constant pain – and his health in ruins. And that’s when he did something REVOLUTIONARY. He began his career in medicine – and dedicated his life to uncovering the true, underlying causes of disease.
Through his innovative medical practices in Tennessee and Colorado, Dr. Olson has helped cure countless seniors from across America of arthritis… heart disease… diabetes… and even cancer. All without risky prescription drugs or painful surgeries.

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