Thanksgiving Food for Thought!

In honor of Thanksgiving, the following is a re-post of last year’s description of the ‘evidence-based’ Thanksgiving meal. Enjoy!

Cranberry Sauce
Cranberries for preventing urinary tract infections.
Jepson RG, Williams G, Craig JC.
Cochrane Database Systematic Reviews. 2012 Oct 17
Findings:“…cranberry juice cannot currently be recommended for the prevention of UTIs”
Bottom line: Well, cranberries are still pretty tasty…

Stuffing and Mashed Potatoes
Low-carbohydrate diets and all-cause mortality: a systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies.
Noto H, Goto A, Tsujimoto T, Noda M.
PLoS One. 2013;8(1):e55030. Epub 2013 Jan 25.
Findings: “Low-carbohydrate diets were associated with a significantly higher risk of all-cause mortality and they were not significantly associated with a risk of CVD mortality and incidence.”
Bottom line: Eat the stuffing!!!!

Sweet Potatoes
Sweet potato for type 2 diabetes mellitus.
Ooi CP, Loke SC.
Cochrane Database Systematic Reviews. 2012 Feb 15
Findings: “There is insufficient evidence to recommend sweet potato [as a therapy] for type 2 diabetes mellitus.”
Bottom line: Sweet potatoes are still very good for you if you have type 2 diabetes (but leave out the marshmallows, capesh!).

and, of course…

Turkey
Does Turkey Make you Sleepy?
Ballantyne, C.
Scientific American. November 21, 2007
Findings: Goble, goble, zzzzzzzzzzz…..

Bottom line: Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!