Many of us strive to be responsible with what types of food we put on the table for our families and loved ones. And our attention to this effort can be heightened when it’s time to set lavish spreads for holiday meals such as Thanksgiving.
There are a dizzying array of options in the store when it comes to selecting something as seemingly simple as Thanksgiving turkey. How do you decide which one is best for you?
What I usually tell people is buy the highest quality ingredients you can afford. While there can be significant taste differences between standard turkeys and their heritage-bred cousins (and, for the adventurous, wild turkeys), perhaps more vital is how the birds are raised and prepared.
I hope this brief guide will help you wade through the confusing labels and names as you go shopping for your Thanksgiving (or any meal, really).
It’s important to take these labels as general guidelines, though. Infinitely more important is knowing where your bird came from and being confident in the producer. There are cases, unfortunately, where producers skirt the rules to gain certification but don’t honor the spirit of the designation. Likewise, many birds can be raised ethically and sustainably with no indication of such. And best poultry probably comes with the least packaging, anyway.
Types of Turkeys

Organic
The term “organic” is a moving target, and the labeling of food as such can be contentious. However, any birds labeled “certified organic” by the USDA have been fed approved organic grains (in accordance with a list of rules), have not been treated with antibiotics or given growth hormones and have been given freedom of movement. You can find other conditions that producers must meet to earn a “certified organic” label at the USDA’s site.

Free-Range
If you see “free-range” on the package or you are told the bird you are ordering is free-range, that means it has not spent its entire life confined to a cage and was given, again, freedom of movement and “access” to the outdoors, but it may have been kept in a barn. Unfortunately, this is a label that can lead to some dishonesty, since producers need only have an exit to the outdoors available to the turkeys, and they may never actually get outside and there are no limits to how many turkeys can be stuffed into a barn. Again, this is where it’s important to trust your producer and source.

Pastured
This goes one step beyond “free-range”: These birds have open and unfettered access to the outdoors and are left free to wander as they see fit. Sometimes though (often), they just want to sit around. These birds graze in the outdoors, and, because of a diet high in grasses, its meat will be higher in Omega 3 fats (a good fat), though it may be leaner than what you are used to.

Vegetarian-fed
All of the above turkeys would be raised on a vegetarian-fed diet, meaning their diets are free of all animal by-products (though they may not adhere to the strict standards set out for organic certification). Turkeys are naturally vegetarian (except for pecking at a few worms and bugs), but often large commercial farms put animal byproducts from their other operations in the turkeys’ feed.

Heritage-bred
There are many different types of heritage-bred turkeys — American Bronze, Narragansett and Bourbon Reds, to name just a few — too many to list here, and these are the equivalent of the heirloom tomatoes of the poultry world. Unlike Broad-breasted turkeys (the common supermarket birds you are likely used to, which have been cross-bred to create birds with more meat — though not more flavor). The heritage-bred turkeys still breed naturally (the common domestic turkey is the result of artificial insemination), graze on grasses, bugs and worms, and they do run and fly (consequently they are leaner and have much smaller breasts, so you won’t want to roast them as long or they’ll dry out). They may have distinct flavors and appearances that vary drastically from their hybrid cousins.

ABF-Free
Some conventionally-raised turkeys are given antibiotics — not because they’re sick, but because it helps them grow faster. An antibiotic-free label is your assurance that this was not the case. To meet “certified organic” specifications, a bird must be ABF-free, so the labeling may also indicate that the bird did not meet all the other standards necessary to be considered organic.

Preparation

Fresh, never-frozen (or “air-chilled”)
As the name implies, the meat has never been frozen. It’s generally recommended to get a fresh, never-frozen turkey (sometimes called air-chilled) if you can find one. These can be ordered in advance at many finer markets and butchers. The result will be a juicier and more flavorful cooked turkey, since freezing tends to dry out the meat. There is no guidance given by the USDA as to how long a “fresh” bird may be stored, just that it can never be frozen, so there is no guarantee of getting a bird that has been freshly slaughtered. However, if you know and trust your producer or supplier (such as your local butcher, which is one way of ordering I recommend), you can be more confident.

Frozen
This is self-explanatory. The birds are put in a deep freeze to last throughout storage and shipping and the meat will be dryer and less flavorful because of this. You can expect to pay 20 – 30 cents more a pound for “fresh” turkeys, but it’s worth it.

Natural
The term natural does not refer to how the turkey was raised, but how it was processed after slaughter. To earn this designation the only requirement is that the bird must not have been injected with preservatives or anti-microbials or other additives, such as artificial flavor or coloring.

Kosher
Kosher turkeys are slaughtered in kosher slaughterhouses. Besides being a approved by a rabbi, these facilities also follow specific rules based on Jewish law. After the feathers are removed, the birds are soaked in cold water and heavily salted. This creates a sort of pre-brine, and whether or not they buy the bird for religious reasons, many people who enjoy brined-cooking prefer the convenience of not having to do this themselves.

Salt-injected
If you see this on the label of a frozen turkey — it may also say this been done to “enhance moistness” or some such similar nonsense — run far away. Freezing does dry out the meat, as I said above, but a yucky solution of salt, sodium phosphates, sugar and artificial flavoring will do nothing for your feast.

At the links below you’ll find resources for to help you find various natural, free-range, pastured, organic and heritage-bred birds.

Resource Links

Check out Local Harvest to find a local turkey farmers near you
http://www.localharvest.org/organic-turkey.jsp

Mary’s Turkeys located in California ships its free-range or pastured birds around the country.

On Thursday, 11/15 at 7 PM EST I’ll be hosting a chat on Twitter using the hashtag #turkeychat where you’ll have the opportunity to ask all of your questions about buying a turkey, cooking it and planning a Thanksgiving meal. You’ll also have the chance to win a gift basket from Melissa’s Specialty Produce. 

You can follow me on Twitter and look for  #turkeychat on Thursday Nov. 15 starting at 7 p.m. EST.

While writing my next book, Cooking with Quinoa for Dummies, I worked extensively with quinoa flour. Many people who need to be on gluten-free diets because of health reasons might be familiar with quinoa and quinoa flour, since quinoa is a gluten-free superfood. And swapping regular white flour for a wheat-free flour like those made from quinoa is, in general, one of the biggest and most important diet swaps you can make. If you stop and think about it, white wheat flour is used in so many of our favorite things: Bread, cookies, cakes, pies, muffin, pizza, bagels, the list goes on and on. If you are one of those who HAS to go gluten free for medical reasons, this swap could be the solution to something that has probably been your biggest conundrum, and it’s a good idea for all of us to cut out processed white flour. But this doesn’t mean that everything labeled “gluten-free” is good for you.

Is “gluten-free” in danger of becoming just the latest healthy eating buzzword?

Yes, there are PLENTY of gluten-free products on the market — cakes, pies, cookies, flours and baking mixes — but buyer beware: Gluten free does not equal healthy. Many, if not most, of these products are not all that healthy, or not healthy at all. Yes, they may have left out the highly refined gluten-filled white wheat flour, but that doesn’t mean their replacements are healthier. Many of them contain white rice flour, starches, gums and other highly processed ingredients. It’s important to understand that the words “gluten-free” on the package do not mean the product inside is necessarily healthy. If the goal was to have a gluten free stamp on the box, they succeeded but many of these items are far — very far from healthy — so read the ingredient and nutrition labels!

When you swap quinoa flour for ordinary flour, you are not only getting something that’s gluten free but something that is downright nutritious.

The advantage of a wet rub, such as this, is that it really sticks to your food. You don’t have to use this mustard rub on meat (it’s quite nice on grilled veggies, such as a hearty squash or a portobello), but if you are cooking meat, lightly scoring it first will help the flavors penetrate. Be sure to apply the rub at least 15 minutes before cooking and up to several hours before, depending on how thick the meat is and how robust the rub flavor is. Leftover rub keeps refrigerated for about 2 weeks.

Southwestern Mustard Rub

Makes 1 1/4 cups, enough for 4 rubs

Ingredients
1 cup Dijon mustard
1/2 cup finely chopped cilantro
1/4 cup crumbled dried lime zest (see note)
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon Garlic Salt (see below)
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

Directions
Combine all the ingredients in a blender or food processor and process until smooth. Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container.

Note: Dried orange, lemon, or lime zest can be made simply at home. Using a vegetable peeler, removing the zest only (the colored outer layer) and not the white pith underneath. Spread on a plate to dry for several days until brittle. Store in an airtight container.

Per 1 rub (5 tablespoons): 80 calories, 0 g total fat (0 g saturated), 0 mg cholesterol, 1760 mg sodium, 15 g total carbohydrates (0 g sugars), 2 g fiber, 1 g protein

Garlic Salt

Store-purchased garlic salt can’t compare with the flavor of this fresh version. It’s delicious sprinkled on so many things and is a primary ingredient in other seasonings and rubs, such as the Southwestern Mustard Rub above. Because this recipe requires some time to prepare, I like to make a large batch. It also makes a great gift packaged in a pretty bottle with a homemade label.

Makes 1 1/2 cups

Ingredients
1 1/3 cups coarse sea salt
2/3 cup garlic cloves, peeled but whole

Directions
Preheat the oven to 170°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Pour the salt into a food processor. With the machine running, add the garlic cloves through the feed tube and process until the mixture is transformed into a paste, scraping down the sides as necessary.

Transfer the garlic paste to the parchment-lined pan and spread out somewhat. Cover with a sheet of plastic wrap cut to the same size as the baking pan. Using a rolling pin, try to flatten the paste out to a thin even layer. Remove the plastic.

Place the garlic paste in the oven and leave it there for about 1 hour 30 minutes. The goal is to dry out the paste but not cook it, which will change the flavor. You may turn off oven and leave the garlic in overnight to be sure the paste is dry enough.

Return the completely dried paste to a food processor and process to a uniform fine consistency. Store in an airtight container at room temperature.

Per teaspoon: 0 calories, 0 g total fat (0 g saturated), 0 mg cholesterol, 1680 mg sodium, 0 g total carbohydrates (0 g sugars), 0 g fiber, 0 g protein

You can find this recipe and much more in Flavor First (Rodale).

We’ve been hearing a lot about keeping your blood sugar steady and the importance of following a low glycemic eating plan. Two common scales can give you information about how quickly foods will affect your blood sugar: the glycemic index and the glycemic load.

The glycemic index (GI) tells you how rapidly a carbohydrate turns into glucose in your body. One drawback is that it doesn’t tell you how much carbohydrate a specific food contains. Thus, the GI for a food is the same, regardless of portion size. For example, a tablespoon of honey and a cup of honey have the same GI. So just because a food ranks high in GI doesn’t always mean that it will raise your blood sugar level rapidly.

The glycemic load (GL), however, also takes into account a food’s available carbohydrates, which provide energy, like starch and sugar (so it excludes fiber). The GL measures the effect of a food’s GI multiplied by its available carbohydrate content in a standard serving; thus, it is a more realistic measure of the food’s potential to raise blood sugar. The glycemic load of honey, for example, is based on the serving size.

Some research says that high GLs may put you at risk for disease. The general principles of this idea should be considered when you’re making food choices, especially if you’re overweight or have pre-diabetes or a strong family history of diabetes.

If you don’t fall into one of those categories, monitoring GL is not as important from day to day. If you’re following the eating recommendations I’ve been posting , you can be certain that most of your food is loaded with fiber and on the lower end of the GL range (with the exception of some an occasional sweetener or dessert).

At some times, you might actually benefit from a high-GL food. For example, you’d want to reach for a high-quality higher-glycemic food before a workout to fuel your muscles. You’ll regain your energy and feel refreshed faster.

Below is a list of the glycemic index and glycemic load of common foods. When referring to the list, keep in mind that:

■ Low GI = 55 or less ■ Low GL = 10 or less
■ Medium GI = 56–69 ■ Medium GL = 11–19
■ High GI = 70 or more ■ High GL = 20 or more

Traditionally served with sherry for dessert, this nutritious, teetotalers’ version of the classic ambrosia salad makes for a scrumptious, protein-packed breakfast or snack. The quality and freshness of the fruit will impact the taste of the entire dish, so be sure to use the best fruit you can find. Feel free to swap in your favorite fruits, if you prefer — fruits vary in size, but you want to aim for about 4 cups total.

Makes 6 (3/4-cup) servings

Ingredients
For the Yogurt Cream
1 1/2 cups fat-free plain Greek yogurt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 packet stevia or 1 tablespoon honey or agave nectar

Fruit and Garnish
1 medium banana, diced
2 medium kiwifruit, peeled and diced
1 cup sliced strawberries
1/2 cup halved red grapes
1/4 cup chopped pecans, toasted
1/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut, toasted (see note)
Fresh mint leaves (optional)

Instructions
To make the yogurt cream: Combine the yogurt, vanilla extract, and sweetener in a small bowl. To assemble the fruit and garnish: Gently toss the banana, kiwi, strawberries, and grapes in a large bowl.

Divide among 6 parfait glasses or small bowls. Top with the yogurt cream. Sprinkle the nuts and coconut on top just before serving. Garnish with fresh mint, if desired.

Note: Coconut can be toasted in the oven or on the stove top. For oven toasting, spread the coconut in an even layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake at 325°F for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes for even browning. For stove-top toasting, spread the coconut in a small skillet and toast over medium heat, stirring often, until the coconut is light golden brown.

Per serving: 140 calories, 6 g total fat (2 g saturated), 0 mg cholesterol, 20 mg sodium, 16 g total carbohydrates (11 g sugars), 3 g fiber, 6 g protein

Here’s the route I’ll be taking from California to Norway, where I’ll be learning about salmon fishing. I’m excited to learn about the ocean fishing practices  there, and also to hear my Norwegian last name pronounced by native speakers! Looking forward to fun and educational experience.

 

View Cheryl’s Route To Norway in a larger map

First the good news if you’re a candidate for weight-loss surgery: By having such a procedure, your odds of living longer than someone who doesn’t might be greatly increased.

A recent study released by researchers in Milan, Italy, found that patients with obesity who underwent some form of bariatric procedure reduced their odds of dying by almost half compared to their counterparts who did not have the surgery.

Researchers analyzed data from eight clinical trials involving more than 44,000 obese men and women. About 14,000 of the subjects actually had some form of bariatric surgery — either gastric bypass or stomach banding — and the rest served as control subjects for comparison. The trials included an average of 7.5 years of follow-up.

Of the roughly 3,300 deaths among all participants, 2.8 percent had had a bariatric procedure; 9.7 percent did not have surgery. Thus, patients who underwent bariatric surgery had 45 percent lower odds of dying. The team found a similar benefit when it looked specifically at heart-related deaths. Overall, death rates were comparable for the approximately 10,000 banding and 4,000 gastric bypass surgeries, although the protective effects on heart-related deaths differed: Compared to no surgery, banding provided 29 percent lower odds of heart-related death vs. a 52 percent risk reduction with bypass.

The risks

The message here is not that surgery is the only solution to obesity — which we know leads to all kinds of health problems and many preventable deaths. As is proven every season by the contestants on The Biggest Loser, invasive, risky and expensive surgery isn’t the only way to shed large amounts of fat. But for people with severe obesity who are unable to manage their diet and exercise, it is an option — one to be carefully considered with the help of a trusted doctor.

Bariatric surgery isn’t cheap — this procedure will set you back between $14,000 and $26,000. But that’s not the only cost: The potential for complications leading to severe health problems and even death can’t be overlooked. These risks include staple/suture ruptures resulting in stomach acid leaks into the body, as well as infections, hemorrhages, ulcers, bowel issues and nutritional deficiencies. The numbers are tough to pin down, but estimates for overall complication rates vary from seven percent to as much as 20 percent; mortality rate estimates range from less than one percent to as much as two percent, depending on the study. Again, not a procedure to be taken lightly!

Another important thing to consider is that many people actually have some type of bariatric surgery only to gain the weight back again later. That’s right — this surgery is not a fail-safe weight-loss solution. Some of the contestants on The Biggest Loser can attest to this fact. Recently I had a chance to sit down with Jessica Delfs, one of the BL10 contestants who had weight loss surgery prior to appearing on the show. (You can read our Q+A on the subject here.)

They don’t operate on your brain.

“The surgery, no matter how involved, is just a tool and doesn’t change your brain and/or relationship with food. That has to change for long-term success,” says Margaret Furtado, a clinical dietitian specialist at Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center who specializes in bariatric surgery. “There are certainly ways to sabotage the band, as well as gastric bypass, and, as I say every day to my patients both pre- and post-operative bariatric surgery, ‘They don’t operate on your brain!’”

The band actually has a high failure rate: Her statistics show that 50 percent of people who have adjustable gastric banding surgery fail to lose 30 percent of their excess weight. (30-50 percent is considered successful.) Gastric bypass statistics reveal that the average result is 60-70 percent of excess body weight loss and some weight regain — 5 to 10 percent is normal. The newer bariatric procedure, sleeve gastrectomy (aka “the sleeve”), is now gaining popularity, and excess weight loss is about 40 to 60 percent given five-year data in the U.S.

“In my 10 years or so working with gastric banding at Tufts, Mass General and now Hopkins, I have seen only a handful of patients lose all of their excess body weight,” says Furtado. “In my experience, corroborated by statistics and conference talks, people who are ‘volume eaters’ versus ‘grazers’ tend to do better with the band as a tool. It’s like a funnel, so snacks, liquid calories, etc. go right down without problems. The more fills/adjustments clients have, the more they can’t tolerate meat, chicken and vegetables, and so a too-tight band can cause people to eat only junk foods and/or liquid calories, unfortunately.”

Research reveals that a purely restrictive bariatric procedure, like gastric banding, doesn’t change genetic or physiological barriers keeping you to a certain weight range. What’s more, the brain “fights” the weight loss for up to one full year after weight loss from dieting or even the band, so regular physical activity and a healthy diet with protein at every meal are vital to help long-term success.

Bariatric surgery procedures like gastric bypass and the newer gastric sleeve are considered “metabolic” surgeries in that they help increase metabolism for about six months or so after surgery, and help send a message to the brain to go to a lower physiological set point or lower weight thermostat. However, it’s imperative that healthy eating, including protein at least three times a day, and regular exercise be a part of the prescription to help these tools work best. Adequate sleep and stress management are also key to long-term weight loss success.

It is of the utmost importance that people change their relationship with food and exercise to keep the weight off after weight-loss surgery of any kind.

____
The opinions expressed in this article are in no way intended as a substitute for medical advice. Consult your doctor when considering this or any other medical procedure.

Jessica Delfs, one of the contestants on the tenth season of The Biggest Loser had weight loss surgery prior to appearing on the show. The surgery did not fix her fundamental problems, however, and that is why she chose to become a contestant on the show. Cheryl sat down with her recently to discuss her experience with the surgery.

Cheryl Forberg, RD: Why do you think your band/bypass failed?

Jessica Delfs: I don’t think my band was a complete failure. I had lost 100 pounds before the show and hadn’t gained any of it back; I was just stuck with 100 more pounds to lose and everything I was doing before wasn’t working anymore. I had plateaued at 285 pounds. I believe the lap band “tool” could only do so much before I needed to deal with the mental and emotional reasons I had gotten that big (which I hadn’t confronted before the show).

CF: Did your relationship with food change?

JD: During the show it became fuel and nothing else. I didn’t really look forward to eating because it wasn’t “fun,” it was just something I needed to do to be able to work out at my highest intensity but still keep my calories and sodium low. When I got back and was surrounded by “enjoyable” foods again, it was hard. I didn’t have the option of indulging while I was on the ranch, and I struggled with keeping the mindset of “fuel only” when I got home. But once I saw the effect that indulging (even in moderation) had on my weight loss, I went back to what I knew worked — the BL plan — eating clean, whole foods low in calories and sodium, and things went right back to normal. I can’t use food as something I look forward to “indulging” in, but rather something that prepares me for the next workout or activity.

CF: What did you learn from your failed weight loss surgery?

JD: When my weight plateaued for three years after my surgery I learned that there were reasons I had become that big. It wasn’t merely because I ate too much. There were emotional things I had never dealt with, and even with the surgery my body wasn’t going to let go of the other 100 lbs until I was honest with myself how I got there. Once I started talking about my emotions and things that had happened in my past that pushed me to use food for comfort, I started to see the weight fall off, and now it’s not about what foods got me that way, but what are the things and emotions that trigger me to want to eat that way? Loneliness, boredom, stress, anxiety? All things I used food for, and now it’s about finding healthy alternatives in those situations. Journaling, exercising, talk to friends, etc. My surgery wasn’t a complete failure, but it wasn’t the golden ticket people look at it as. There’s a lot of mental and emotional work that you still need to do to complete the process or maintain the end result.

Don’t miss our next Twitter chat, Tuesday, March 20 at 3 p.m. EST/ 12 p.m. PST — all about eggs. The Meal Makeover Moms, Janice Bissex, RD and Liz Weiss, RD, will be joining us for an egg-spiring discussion including the health benefits of eggs. We’ll also be sharing cooking tricks, tips and recipes, and giving you the secret to the perfect hardboiled egg — just in time for Easter (though eggs, of course, are delicious any time).

Come with your questions about boiling, poaching, scrambling, baking or otherwise preparing egg-citing meals (OK, we’ll stop now). Feel free to leave any questions or comments you may have in the comment section here.

Please the hashtag #eatwell during the chat so we are sure to see your question or comment.

#eatwell Twitter Chat with @cherylforbergrd
Hosted by Cheryl Forberg, RD and Meal Makeover Moms
Time: 12 pm PST/3 pm EST
Date: Tuesday March 20

Follow @cherylforbergrd

Follow @MealMakeovrMoms

Follow @janicebissex

Follow @LizWeiss

Cheryl recently spoke with Toby Amidor of The Food Network’s Healthy Eats blog about being both a chef and nutritionist and her seven years working with the contestants on NBC’s The Biggest Loser.

Toby brought up the subject of maintenance:

Q: The contestants on the show have a lot of help from a registered dietitian and trainers, what tools are they provided with so they can continue to get healthy or maintain once they leave the show?

The trainers certainly teach them a variety of different cardio and strength training options. It’s important to find an exercise you really love or you’re not going to stick with it. The gym at the Ranch has state-of-the-art equipment and the trainers are always teaching new things in and out of the gym to keep everyone interested, engaged and ideally increasing their muscle mass while shedding pounds.

I introduced them to a new way of shopping, cooking and eating. I also taught them how to weigh, measure and journal their food intake while at the Ranch. One of the many things you didn’t see was that I reviewed every contestant’s food journal every single day which was an incredible teaching tool for learning about portion sizes, meal timing and accountability. I still get calls from contestants I haven’t seen in years. They tell me when the pounds start to come back the first thing they do is pull out their food journals again.

And later on in the interview Cheryl revealed that she is working with a number of former Biggest Loser Contestants who have done just that.

Though I still want to share my weight loss expertise with a large audience, I’d also like to focus more on that slippery slope we call maintenance and show people that eating well and staying there are not mutually exclusive.

I’m currently coaching a group of former Biggest Loser cast members about maintenance weight — how to get and stay there.

As Cheryl has explained in the past, we — almost all of us — tend to to eat more than we think we do, and food journaling can play a big part in getting back on track (as can the help and assistance of a nutrition professional).

In this video, made backstage during preparations for The Biggest Loser Season 5, Cheryl talks more about the importance of food journaling.