‘I’m a Registered Dietitian, and This Is How I Build My Thanksgiving Plate’

Check out the healthy Thanksgiving foods that this RD makes sure to prioritize on Turkey Day.

Thanksgiving is to food what the Super Bowl is to football: the biggest moment of the year. What other day is exclusively reserved for cooking and eating, no other activities required? Truly a special day on the calendar for any food lover, particularly if you're a fan of pumpkin pie and stuffing.

In the latest episode of You Versus Good, registered dietitian Tracy Lockwood Beckerman, RD shares some helpful intel on how she builds her plate on Turkey Day to help balance fully enjoying your favorite Thanksgiving food without worrying about potential upset stomach later in the evening.

Her first tip: get a serving of fiber ASAP—one of the delicious veggie sides is a good place to start. That way, you'll definitely get some fiber—the key to keeping your digestive tract running properly—before you get too full and skip it altogether. (It's a tip gastroenterologists can get behind, too.) While Beckerman emphasizes that you should absolutely dig into your Thanksgiving faves and not deprive yourself, keeping the portions moderate will keep you from overloading your stomach (hey, there's always leftovers), and starting with salad will help prevent your eyes from being bigger than your stomach.

Watch the video above for more tips, including how white turkey meat compares in nutrition to dark meat and how to keep your gravy low in sodium. With these tips put into practice, you can really enjoy your Thanksgiving meal to its, well, fullest.

Speaking of good digestion, these are the foods that are worst for your gut. And BTW, there's a lot of ways sugar can sneak into your food. Here's how to make sure it doesn't.