It’s not what you eat at Thanksgiving — but what you eat the rest of year that matters

Ready or not, the holiday season is here.

Whether it is more exuberant or more subdued, there is one thing you can depend on: Food will be involved. And there will be once-a-year specialties and a lot more sweets and treats. Is Christmas fruitcake still a thing?

Since our lives have changed so since the pandemic, it makes using old statistics somewhat iffy. But old data showed that people gained, on average, about 1 pound during the holiday season. That amount should not put a shadow over holiday food enjoyment.

My mantra for holiday eating is it’s not what you eat for a few days, but what you eat for the rest of the year that impacts health and weight. Look at your total diet during the year.

The Dietary Guidelines define total diet as everything a person eats averaged over time. Total diet is the combination of all foods and beverages that provide energy and nutrients. The variety of food a person eats is more important to health than focusing on a single food or nutrient or meal.

Sweet potatoes with marshmallows and pecan pie do not doom someone to health consequences. If your diet pattern, whether it is vegetarian flexitarian or even keto, is built on naturally nutrient-rich foods, then you can absolutely enjoy holiday fare.

One meal, one party day, or even a one-week cruise does not cause chronic disease. And for many it’s not the foods, but the amounts.

A rule of thumb is it might be time to stop eating when you have to unbutton your pants. If you find yourself feeling a bit blue, research shows that plant foods high in fiber, probiotics and antioxidants can decrease symptoms of depression. That might mean sautéed asparagus with the sweet potatoes and fresh fruit with the pie.

If one accepts and follows a total diet philosophy, then feelings of guilt or cheating will never rear their non-productive heads. It is what you eat before and after the holidays that impacts health.

Sheah Rarback MS, RDN is in private practice in Miami.