Happy Thanksgiving! While you prepare your turkey (or ham) and set the table for your friends and family, you’ll probably also want to think about what sides you’ll be serving. There are so many options to choose from, and everyone has their own favorite. But there are several sides that will give a great nutritious boost to any Thanksgiving plate!
Potatoes: white, sweet, purple, gold, red
- The most widely consumed vegetable
- Rich in phytochemicals
- Rich in Vitamin C, Potassium, Fiber
Corn:
- Technically a fruit, but considered a starchy vegetable
- When dried it becomes popcorn, corn meal, corn bread
- Rich in Fiber, Magnesium, Thiamine, Folate, Vitamin C, Potassium
Squash: pumpkin, butternut, acorn, delicata, Hubbard, kabocha, spaghetti
- Rich in Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Potassium, Fiber
- Roasting the seeds provides fiber, unsaturated fat, Vitamin E, Fiber
Cacao:
- The beans are the basis for chocolate
- Rich in Phytochemicals, Antioxidants
- Have anti-inflammatory properties
- Dark chocolate has more phytochemicals than milk chocolate
- Dark chocolate contains 50% of cocoa
Beans: black, garbanzo, black-eyed peas, cannellini, kidney, lima, pinto, lentils
- Contain Protein and Carbohydrates; such as Fiber
- Can be made into hummus and falafel
Tomatoes:
- Rich in Vitamin C, Folate, Potassium, Lycopene
- Considered a nightshade fruit
- May help decrease prostate cancer
Chili peppers:
- Rich in Phytochemicals, Vitamin C
