Thanksgiving tradition actually thousands of years old.
What Americans call the First Thanksgiving was not the first one at all, according to Eric Rabkin, professor of English at the University of Michigan. In fact, the Pilgrims drew on customs that are several centuries old. ”The Pilgrims knew about religious festivals of thanksgiving, probably including the ancient Greek celebration of the bounty of Demeter and certainly including the Jewish Sukkoth,” said Rabkin. Demeter, the Greek goddess of grain, fertility and the harvest, is also responsible for the changing of the seasons, according to Greek mythology. Sukkoth is an annual Jewish celebration, and a combination harvest, thanksgiving, and pilgrimage festival. ”I can’t help but think the Mayflower group, especially after decimation by illness and a harsh winter, had these festivals in mind come the next harvest,” said Rabkin. Contact Rabkin at [email protected].

Typical Thanksgiving dinner not so typical after all.
Every child knows the story of the first Thanksgiving. But
did the Pilgrims actually sit down to stuffed turkey and
cranberry sauce? Not according to Richard Ford, professor
of anthropology at the U-M. ”The Pilgrims had few
resources to draw from, and a limited number of foods,”
said Ford. ”At that time, the domesticated plants known to the Native Americans were corn, beans and squash, while the Europeans brought over wheat, barley for beer, and peas, although they may not have produced much of a crop that year.” The meat at the feast was wild, and included deer, turkey and other fowl, and fish. The dinner probably also included berries, but not cranberries, since there was no sugar to sweeten them. So where did the turkey dinner with all the trimmings come from? ”The First Thanksgiving was not repeated annually and actually did not become an
official holiday until President Lincoln declared it,” said Ford. ”By then there were many different foods that could be served and it is from this time period that our typical dinner foods derive.” Contact Ford at [email protected].

Enjoy Thanksgiving dinner without packing on extra pounds.
Thanksgiving is a time for family visits, good food, and—
if you’re not careful—weight gain. Marilyn Nakamoto,
dietitian and director of the U-M Health Service Nutrition
Center, says that the average person gains 5 pounds during
the holiday season, starting with the Thanksgiving feast.
”Many of the foods we eat at Thanksgiving have a high fat
content,” said Nakamoto. ”The skin of the turkey, the
stuffing, the candied sweet potatoes, all of these are very
high in fat.”

So, how can we avoid Turkey Day weight gain? ”By making
wise food choices,” said Nakamoto. Cooking the stuffing
outside of the turkey reduces its fat content, as does
baking sweet potatoes, instead of loading them with butter,
sugar and marshmallows in a casserole. Pumpkin, an
excellent source of beta carotene and vitamin A, is much
healthier served as a custard, instead of a pie in a fat-
laden crust. However, ”we have to be realistic, ” said
Nakamoto. ”For one holiday meal, people should be allowed
to eat their favorite foods.” So, if you can’t do without
Aunt Martha’s candied yams, indulge yourself—but wisely.
”Eat small amounts of your favorites, and don’t eat until
you’re stuffed, only until you’re satisfied,” advised
Nakamoto. Also, keep up your exercise program. ”Many
people stop going to the gym when they get busy around the
holidays, but that’s just when they should be going,” said
Nakamoto. ”Exercise keeps weight down, suppresses the
appetite and relieves holiday stress.” Contact Nakamoto at

Post-dinner drowsiness due to amino acid in turkey.

The Thanksgiving post-dinner nap is almost as much a
tradition as the feast itself. But is it being stuffed that makes us drowsy, or is it something in the stuffing—or in the turkey? Mimi Lou, interim nutrition specialist for the U-M Housing Division, says that the amino acid tryptophan, which is found in many of the foods we eat at Thanksgiving, can make you sleepy. ”Tryptophan stimulates the production of the neurotransmitter serotonin, and that’s what causes part of the drowsiness you feel after Thanksgiving dinner,”said Lou. She says that tryptophan is present in turkey, potatoes, yams and rolls, all of which grace the typical Thanksgiving table. So, the next time you’re caught napping during cleanup time, blame it on the tryptophan. E-mail Lou
at [email protected].