Give thanks with
your food choices
As you get ready for your Thanksgiving holiday, take a moment to reflect on
how your food choices and eating habits can impact the environment and your
heart health. Here are six practical ways to raise your appreciation for the
food you eat.
- Think quality, not quantity. It's easy to find super-sized
portions of fast food these days. But they're often loaded with high volumes
of sodium, saturated and trans fats and calories, which can spell trouble
for your heart health. Instead, pick the finest, freshest ingredients you
can find, whether you're making an everyday dinner or an elaborate weekend
brunch. Serve smaller portions and take time to really savour each bite —
it's all worth it for your taste buds and waistline too!
- Eat more plants. Traditionally, European farmers celebrated
the end of a good harvest season by filling cornucopias with wholesome foods
like fruits and grains. Follow their lead by enjoying more plant-based foods,
including whole grains, fruits, vegetables and legumes (such as beans, peas
and lentils) — not just on Thanksgiving day, but every day.
- Buy local foods. Buying more locally grown foods and ingredients
whenever you can helps to reduce your carbon footprint, as fewer fossil fuels
are needed to transport the food to market. You might even find that locally
grown food tastes fresher and better, plus you'll be showing your appreciation
and thanks to the hard-working farmers who proudly share their bounty.
- Treat your food well. Heart healthy cooking methods bring
out the wonderful flavours of food and let you benefit from valuable vitamins,
minerals and phytochemicals. Steam or cook veggies to tender-crisp instead
of over-boiling them, which robs them of nutrients. Instead of frying, broil
or roast lean-cuts of meats to gently bring out the juicy flavours. Savour
the natural, nutty flavour of whole grain brown rice without adding salt to
the cooking water.
- Honour your cultural ties with food. Many cultures mark
the end of harvest season with a family gathering and festive event. The Sri
Lankan Pongal, Chinese Autumn Moon Festival, Israeli Succoth
and African Yam Festival, for example, all involve symbolic foods
as an expression of thanks for a bountiful harvest. Learn about the food traditions
in your extended family and pass them down to the next generation.
- Share and donate. Share your good fortune with those less
fortunate. Donate canned goods, whole grain cereals, peanut butter and other
non-perishable food items to local food banks, missions or other charitable
causes that need it.