Tuesday, February 9, 2010
10 Surprising Things About Your Thanksgiving Dinner
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- Turkeys labeled “Natural” may actually have been
treated with antibiotics and fed corn and soy meal grown with
synthetic pesticides. The USDA defines “natural” as a
turkey containing no artificial ingredients such as added flavors
or colors, and that is only minimally processed. It turns out, this
leaves out a lot. A turkey labeled “natural” can be fed grains
grown with pesticides and raised on a farm that uses pesticides on
their fields. Antibiotics can be used not only to treat illnesses,
but also as growth promoters. Look for turkeys that are USDA Organic or that
say “free of antibiotics”.
- “Free range” turkeys may have never set foot
outdoors. According to the USDA, “free range” means
simply that the turkey “has been allowed access to the outside.”
This can mean that they are raised primarily in “range pens” or
houses, and that there is a door to the “outside,” which might
simply be a cement patio. So “free range” turkeys may almost never see the range.
- “Fresh” turkeys may be over 2 months old. The
USDA definition of “fresh” refers to turkeys whose internal temperature has never
been below 26°F. “Hard-chilled” means the turkey was kept between
0°F and 26°F. “Frozen” means the turkey was kept at or below 0°F.
The surprising thing about this standard is that it only mentions
temperature, not time. Most Thanksgiving turkeys are processed in
September and October, but are still labeled “fresh” in
November.
- The turkeys we eat (or 99% of them) can’t run, fly, or
mate when fully grown. The most common turkeys found in the US - the Broad Breasted
White – have been bred to maximize their growth (particularly of
breast meat), and are thus unable to reproduce without artificial
insemination. They can’t run or fly, and they often go lame due to
their heavy breasts. These birds grow twice as fast, and often
twice as big as “heritage” turkeys – the turkeys the pilgrims would
have seen.
- If you buy “basted” or “plumped” turkeys, you are
getting a turkey with up to 10 times the sodium levels, and you
will be spending several dollars on salt water rather than
meat. Basted or plumped turkeys have been injected with up to three
percent of their weight (eight percent if they are boneless) of a
solution containing butter or other fats, water, flavor enhancers,
or “other approved substances,” such as sodium phosphate. Watch out
for small print saying “contains up to 15% saltwater.”
- The vast majority of turkeys raised in the US are grown in
large-scale Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs)
where they are often packed in tight conditions, and where their
beaks and parts of their toes may be cut off to prevent pecking and
cannibalism between animals.
- Turkey skin is the least healthy part of the turkey.
The skin contains 482 calories and 44 grams of fat, and also has the least protein. A
fresh turkey with skin has 231% more fat, 59%
more calories, and 23% more cholesterol than a turkey with no skin.
Turkey wings with skin are the second least healthy. Wings with
skin contain 238 calories and 13 grams of fat per serving.
- Breast meat without the skin is the healthiest part of
the turkey. Breast meat without skin has only 161 calories and 4
grams of fat per serving.
- Two tablespoons of cranberry sauce will give over 1/3
of the sugar you need for the day. And many cranberry
sauces contain High Fructose Corn Syrup.
- Two tablespoons of gravy sauce give you over 1/3 of the
sodium you need for the day. Many gravy products contain have artificial colors of concern, and some contain transfats.
Related: turkey, thanksgiving, sodium, nutrition, healthy eating, fresh, fat, dinner
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Posted by Pink Wed Nov 18, 2009 7:32am PST
I am schocked of what i eat,That sometimes i dont want to know
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Posted by SJB Wed Nov 18, 2009 11:23am PST
Seriously ruined Thanksgiving...I'm so sad now. You might as well as put of a video of "Food, INC." Bleh to you...
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Posted by Liz K Wed Nov 18, 2009 11:31am PST
well, this is informative, they should have told us some alternatives to eat, or how to find turkey that was raised humainly.
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Posted by Jennifer Wed Nov 18, 2009 12:46pm PST
Yuck. Where's the fact checker? Glad I know where ours came from--nothing like having a husband who hunts!
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Posted by Marta Vieira Wed Nov 18, 2009 1:27pm PST
Great tips on to choose an healthy turkey. I learned a lot about what different food labels mean and how so many can be misleading. I'll definitely make a better informed decision this year.
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Posted by Joey Wed Nov 18, 2009 3:16pm PST
And that's why we're having organic chicken for Thanksgiving.
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Posted by Monica Wed Nov 18, 2009 4:43pm PST
the grinch is to christmas as "GoodGuideEditor" is to Thanksgiving...i don't CARE about all of this, it's about spending time with family over delicious food without even THINKING about where the turkey came from, calories, salt, etc....yeesh!
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