We are creeping up on the holiday season. And it is a time many of us indulge in some of our favorite foods. What Thanksgiving dinner would not be complete without a slice of pie? Jaya Jaya Myra Bestselling author, TEDx speaker and former immunologist turned mind-body wellness expert says, “Foods have an incredible range of mind-body benefits! Everything from weight loss or gain, stress relief, improved cognitive function, increased willpower and more joy can all be facilitated by what you eat. This holiday season, make food your superpower, not your enemy.”
Approximately 46 million turkeys are consumed during Thanksgiving. That’s about 736 million pounds of turkey and about 20% of the turkeys consumed in an entire year! But we eat more pumpkin pies, the average On Thanksgiving day over 50 million pumpkin pies are consumed. And the average person will consume 4500 calories on Thanksgiving- 3000 of them at dinner.
Here’s a few fun facts you probably didn’t know:
Pumpkin Pie – Pumpkin is an amazingly nutritious food that due to its nutrient density and low calorie count can help you lose weight! That is, of course, if you don’t pack your pie with too much sugar. It’s also loaded with lots of vitamins to help boost immunity, and the vitamin A, lutein and zeaxanthin can improve eyesight. Eyesight, emotionally speaking is connected to clarity and focus, so consuming pumpkin can also help you regain focus on important matters and boost emotional health. Pumpkin is also known to promote skin health due to it’s high vitamin C content. If you’re looking for a nutritious dessert or counting calories, or just looking for clarity and inspiration, the pumpkin pie is your best bet.
Pecan Pie – Pecans are a great source of calcium, potassium and magnesium, all of which can help lower blood pressure. They may also help prevent stroke and coronary artery disease due to their ability to reduce LDL (bad) cholesterol levels and improve HDL (good) cholesterol levels. They are also high in fiber, which promotes better elimination, regulates blood sugar, and is food for the gut microbiome, which as we know, is directly connected to mental health and wellbeing.
Speaking of mental health, like other nuts, pecans may improve cognitive function and memory. Another fun fact, teh L-arginine amino acid found in abundance may even help promote hair growth, where it’s iron content can help combat hair loss! If you’re feeling overall tense, angry or in need of some winding down, the pecan pie may be your best choice from a mind body perspective.
Sweet Potato Pie – Sweet potato in ayurveda is considered a rasayana, or rejuvenative food. It helps bolster energy and rejuvenate on a mind body and spirit level, filling in gaps wherever you have them. When you look at their nutrient profile, this will probably come as no surprise. They are an excellent source of vitamins, minerals and fiber and have been linked with gut health and better mood (thank you microbiome food and the gut brain connection), stronger immune response, improved brain health and function, and so much more, including anti-cancer properties! If you’re stressed out, burned out, fatigued or run down, try sweet potato pie as a pick-me-up not to pass over this holiday season.
Of course, we’re talking pie here! These all have lots of sugar and other ingredients to eat sparingly, so make sure to indulge in moderation. For healthy holiday food options check out our holiday food tips and recipes.
Source: Jaya Jaya Myra former immunologist turned mind-body wellness expert
