There are plenty of words to describe the spirit of Thanksgiving: family, abundance, thankfulness and, perhaps, stress. But when it comes to the foods of Thanksgiving, more often than not, there’s one word describing them: bland. Classic dishes like green bean casseroles and mashed potatoes often share the same note of soft, fatty, carbohydrate-heavy tedium.
A roasted turkey, despite its nostalgic value, can often be anticlimactic taste-wise, and the bright tanginess from a dollop of cranberry sauce is sometimes the only saving grace. As you get ready for Thursday’s big feast, it might be time to consider livening up traditions by incorporating more and potentially new spices. It may feel odd to break with a pumpkin pie recipe passed down the generations, but there’s reason for the suggestion.
There is compelling science that shows spices not only elevate your Thanksgiving meal, but also make them healthier while curbing the dreaded gluttony. With the cornucopia as the ultimate symbol of Thanksgiving, the fear of eating plenty more than usual is a common anxiety. According to a recent national survey by Orlando Health in Florida, nearly two in five Americans worry about how much they eat over the holidays.
While no one should feel guilty about overindulging during the holidays, one reason for the tendency is due to a phenomenon called sensory-specific satiety, which was discovered in the 1980s at the University of Oxford. Sensory-specific satiety is the force guiding yo.