THURSDAY, Nov. 23 (HealthDay News) -- Delicious food -- and plenty of it -- is a major part of Thanksgiving, but too much indulgence can weigh heavy on the mind (and the hips).

The November issue of the Mayo Clinic Health Letter offers advice on how you can lighten the fat and calorie content of some traditional foods and enjoy the feast without too much regret.

You can:

• Roast the turkey on a rack so that fat drips through and the turkey doesn't reabsorb the drippings.
• Bake the stuffing in a separate covered dish instead of inside the turkey, where the stuffing soaks up fat. Use less oil, butter or margarine when you're sauteing the onions and celery for the stuffing. Or you can use low-fat chicken broth, instead.
• When you make the gravy, skim fat from the top of the turkey drippings or use a fat separator.
• For mashed potatoes, skip the butter and use skim milk or low-sodium vegetable or chicken broth.
• In pies and most other baked goods, you can use about half the amount of sugar that's called for in the recipe. You should also use skim or low-fat dairy products instead of whole milk products. Your can also use two egg whites instead of a whole egg -- without affecting the texture or taste.

More information

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention offers tips on how to enjoy holidays the healthy way.

-- Robert Preidt

SOURCE: Mayo Clinic, news release, November 2006

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