Thanksgiving is almost here, and chances are that turkey is the main attraction, but everyone is secretly looking forward to dessert. This probably means pumpkin pie is the feature at most tables, although apple pie, sweet potato pie or even pecan pie may make an appearance. But, hey, it’s a veggie or fruit (or nut)-based dessert, so it’s probably a decently healthy choice, right?

Sorry, but no. If you choose to eat pie this Thanksgiving (or any other day for that matter), do it because you love how it tastes, not because you think you’re picking a “healthier” option. While the pumpkin and sweet potato pie may offer a fair amount of vitamin A, most of the other ingredients outweigh any of its “healthy” bragging rights. You see, to make that pie magic happen, the pumpkin or sweet potato is combined with cream or evaporated milk, a LOT of sugar, some spices and then poured into a butter-laden, refined-grain crust. Don’t get me wrong, it’s delicious. But, don’t be mislead by the fact that some veggies go into making this dessert.

If you’re thinking that apple or pecan pie may be a better option, it’s also a misconception. Most of the fiber and other essential nutrients found in apples are in the peel. To make apple pie filling, at least filling that tastes good, you need to peel the apples. No peel, no (or minimal) nutrients. Then, you add a cup or two of brown sugar, white sugar and/or caramel, some spices and a bit of cornstarch before you pour the mixture into that same butter-laden, refined-grain crust and bake it. Baking it means that whatever vitamin C was left in the peeled apples just got broken down, and those apples are now little sugar balls. That leaves pecan pie. Now, as a HUGE advocate for nuts, you would think that I’d recommend pecan pie, and boy oh boy do I recommend it. But, for it’s delicious flavor. Not for its nutrition. Again, all of the other ingredients added to the pecans end up overpowering the health and nutrition benefits you would expect from these nuts in their natural, raw state.

Now that I’ve sufficiently scared you away from eating pie, I would like to backtrack and let you know that it’s okay to indulge once in a while, especially on Thanksgiving or any other big, celebratory event. The goal of the blog was not to have you vow off of pie, but to inform you about foods that may be misleading. So, don’t pass up your favorite dessert for a fruit or veggie-based pie because you think you’re doing something “healthier,” do it because you actually want to enjoy the pie. Just make sure to get back to your regular, hopefully “healthier,” diet the next day and thereafter.

So, what will I be eating after all that turkey tomorrow? Pumpkin pie, of course! (With ice cream, obviously.)