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Lead story
Science and nutrition may not be the first things you associate with Thanksgiving, but the holiday does provide an opportunity to learn about the biochemistry of food. I worked with two chemists from the University of Richmond, Julie Pollock and Kristine Nolin, to explain some of the chemical quirks behind holiday favorites.
The way you prepare your veggie-rich side dishes can influence how your body absorbs the important nutrients in them, Pollock writes. For example, greens, such as collard greens, spinach and green beans, contain vitamin K, which improves your bone health and immune system function. But if you really want to reap the benefits of these micronutrients, you can prepare them certain ways to help them get distributed throughout your body – usually, only 3% to 10% of micronutrients make it to where they need to be.
Nolin, meanwhile, explains the chemistry of gluten, which allows bread, rolls and baked goods to rise and become deliciously fluffy. She teaches a food chemistry class, and most of her students don’t initially know what gluten really is – a sugar, carbohydrate or protein. As she explains, the answer’s actually none of the above.
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Mary Magnuson
Assistant Science Editor
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Side dishes made with colorful vegetables are a holiday staple for many.
VeselovaElena/iStock via Getty Images
Julie Pollock, University of Richmond
The turkey doesn’t have to be the star this Thanksgiving. Vegetable side dishes are packed with nutrients − depending on how you prepare them, they can help keep you energized this holiday season.
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Health + Medicine
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Kimberly Baker, Clemson University
Keeping guests safe involves far more than just careful cooking − hand-washing, keeping work surfaces clean, safe handling and proper storage are also key ingredients.
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Science + Technology
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James M. Honeycutt, University of Texas at Dallas
Talking with people who hold different political views doesn’t have to be an exercise in futile rage. Here are some tips to help you peacefully and fruitfully discuss spicy topics.
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Kristine Nolin, University of Richmond
Ever wonder why bakers spend so long kneading their dough? They’re trying to form a gluten network, which helps the bread rise.
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Politics + Society
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Maurizio Valsania, Università di Torino
For his first presidential Thanksgiving, George Washington aimed to pull his country together in the face of the many internal divisions that could yank it apart.
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Environment + Energy
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Serina DeSalvio, Texas A&M University
Cranberries add color and acidity to Thanksgiving menus, but they also have many interesting botanical and genetic features.
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Arts + Culture
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Julie Lesnik, Wayne State University
Dishes we consider staples today have little to do with the first feast.
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Samantha N. N. Cross, Iowa State University
At one point, turkey was jockeying with duck and chicken for king of the Thanksgiving table.
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Peter C. Mancall, USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences
The Pilgrims repeatedly thanked God for their good fortune. But without two earlier developments, the entire undertaking at New Plymouth would have likely failed.
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Ethics + Religion
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Lisa Michelle King, University of Tennessee
A scholar of Native American and Indigenous rhetorics writes about the harm done to Native American nations through colonization and what can be done to reduce it.
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Jeremy David Engels, Penn State; Elaine Hsieh, University of Oklahoma
Cultures around the world say ‘thank yous’ in many different ways. Two communication scholars explain what these expressions can reveal to us.
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The Conversation Quiz 🦃 |
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Here’s the first question of our special Thanksgiving edition:
For maximum protection from bacteria when preparing your Thanksgiving turkey, the USDA recommends that you ...
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A. Baste it with Neosporin
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B. Boil it for 10 minutes before cooking
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C. Leave it unwashed
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D. Roast it until it's dry and tasteless
Test your knowledge
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About The ConversationWe're a nonprofit news organization dedicated to helping academic experts share ideas with the public. We can give away our articles thanks to the help of foundations, universities and readers like you.
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