One of the main delights of Turkey Day is, of course, turkey along with the traditional "fixings" and family recipes. Many of the foods served on this holiday are actually loaded with nutrition, including phytochemicals that can boost health. Known by scientific names including phenolics, flavonoids, carotenoids, and quercetin, these naturally occurring compounds, also called phytochemicals, are found in many fruits, vegetables, grains, legumes, nuts, and even iced tea you may be serving up this Thanksgiving.

Turkey itself, according to the University of Illinois Extension, is a nutritional powerhouse, too. It’s low in fat, high in protein, and a rich source of iron, zinc, phosphorus, potassium, and B vitamins.

It’s true that too many Thanksgiving goodies are packed with extra fat and calories. However with some recipe tweaks, you can effortlessly make this the heart (and waistline) healthiest Thanksgiving feast ever even while serving up favorite desserts like apple and pumpkin pie.

Easy (and yummy) substitutions

Registered dietitian Linsday Martin of Northwest Hospital in Baltimore advises revamping your recipes so they are better for you by simply using the lower fat versions of cream cheese and sour cream. "Instead of half-and-half, use 1% or skim milk. Plain, fat-free yogurt can take the place of a whipped topping on a dessert," she says. But she offers a warning about yogurt: always read labels because some fat-free versions are loaded with extra sugar.

For baked goods like cakes, muffins, and cookies, use puréed fruits instead of oil for cakes, muffins, or cookies. For example, if a cake recipe requires half a cup of vegetable oil, simply substitute applesauce instead. "You’d be surprised that you get the same flavor, moisture, and texture," Martin notes.

Sweet potatoes are full of nutrition and fiber, but they can be off the chart with calories if loaded down with butter, brown sugar, and marshmallows. Instead, Martin suggests flavoring them with orange juice, orange zest, and buttermilk. Likewise, you can makeover a traditional green bean casserole easily and cut out extra calories by using 98% fat-free cream of mushroom soup instead of the full-fat variety.

She also advises to not stuff the turkey with stuffing. The reason? Stuffing won’t absorb fat drippings if cooked separately. And skip adding sausage or nuts; raisins or other dried fruit are healthier choices. Cut calories by replacing some or part of the butter you’d normally use with fat-free chicken broth, too.

Nutrition expert Rebecca Mohning, a registered dietitian and a certified personal trainer who works at George Washington University’s Weight Management Center and Women’s Heart Program in Washington, D.C., suggests preparing a wild rice stuffing. Use low sodium chicken broth, spices, and a few chopped up walnuts for flavor and protein.

How can you cut calories in everyone’s Thanksgiving favorite, mashed potatoes? "Instead of white potatoes, use Yukon gold potatoes that give it that buttery look without adding the butter," Mohning tells Synergy. "You can also try using mashed cauliflower instead which has fewer carbohydrates and calories than potatoes."

Sweet but healthy dishes

Mohning, whose website offers healthy living tips (http://www.expertnutrition.net/), has good news for those with a sweet tooth. There are ways to prepare sweet treats, too, for optimum health and nutrition. "Don't forget the cranberry apple relish which is packed with powerful antioxidants from the berries. Add a little sugar or apple juice to sweeten or save even more calories by adding a low calorie sweetener like stevia," she says.

Traditional Thanksgiving desserts, including pies, are often made with phytonutrient-rich apples or pumpkins, but you can make them more waist-line friendly by going for low-calorie, low-sugar versions. "You can make a vegan pumpkin pie by just using pumpkin, tofu, and a whole grain crust or graham cracker crust," Mohning tells Synergy. "Or aim for a pear and apple crisp or just a baked apple dessert. It will be low in sugar and high in fiber."

Turkey and turkey substitutes

When it comes to the main course of most Thanksgiving Day dinners, turkey is the centerpiece. If you are cutting back on calories, nutrition expert Martin advises eating the white meat since it has half the calories and just a quarter of the fat as dark turkey meat with skin. In fact, skip the fat-loaded skin altogether. She points out that by seasoning your turkey with celery, onions and herbs, you’ll impart flavor to the meat even without the benefit of the skin.

What if, like millions of Americans, you or some of your Thanksgiving meal guests or family have gone vegetarian? Over the last few years, the faux turkey dish known as tofurkey has become so popular it’s easily available in vegetarian and health food stores as well as many mainstream grocery stores. You can also surf for recipes online to make your own version of tofurkey, which is a loaf or casserole of vegetarian protein, usually made from seitan (wheat protein) or tofu and often filled with a stuffing flavored with herbs, spices, and vegetable broth.

There are other non-turkey alternatives for your main course, too. "If you are vegetarian or just looking for a different main dish other than turkey this year why not try a bean stew or a festive sweet potato and bean chili as a main dish," Mohning suggests.

Sherry Baker is a writer from Atlanta, Georgia. She last wrote Feeling Twittered Out? How to Use Social Media Without Being Overwhelmed. Sherry can be reached at featuredstories@adamcorp.com