Is pumpkin pie or apple pie healthy? There is one big difference in nutrition, nutritionists say

Pumpkin pie and apple pie are a classic way to end Thanksgiving dinner. Both desserts are fruity and spicy, with a smooth crust and an aroma that exudes warmth and friendliness.

Americans choose pumpkin as their No. 1 Thanksgiving pie, but 82% also like or like to eat apple pie at their holiday feast, a YouGov poll found.

Dietitians say it’s good to enjoy desserts in moderation.

“Especially on holidays, enjoy it. Have a moderate slice of it, enjoy another healthy meal in your day. “I think it’s good to include a healthy diet,” Patricia Bannan, a registered dietitian in Los Angeles and author of “From Burnout to Balance,” tells TODAY.com.

Saying, ‘I don’t have any sweets’ can make a person want things and make people overdo it.”

If pumpkin or apple pie is your favorite, go ahead and have some on Thanksgiving, adds Beth Czerwony, a registered dietitian at the Cleveland Clinic’s Center for Human Nutrition.

Have smaller pieces, and have both if you really want to, but be smart about them. Take your time and sit at the table. Enjoy it,” says Czerwony.

I never tell people they don’t have things.

The filling of a pie is important, so experts in foods such as pumpkin and apple are pies made with fruit – providing some fiber and nutrients from fruit – rather than pies full of sugar, eggs and cream.

So which pie is healthy? Here’s what you need to know about their nutritional differences:

Is pumpkin pie healthy?

Pumpkin is high in beta carotene, which is important for vision, growth and immune function, Bannan says.

The antioxidant, found in orange-colored foods, is converted to vitamin A in the body and has anti-inflammatory properties that protect cells from damage, says the National Library of Medicine.

A slice of pumpkin pie contains the following, according to the United States Department of Agriculture:

• 316 calories
• 14 grams of fat
• 7 grams of protein
• 41 grams of carbohydrates
• 2 grams of fiber

Pumpkin pie usually has a single crust – a huge nutritional difference compared to apple pie, which has a double crust and therefore more calories and fat.

But the calories also depend on the pumpkin pie recipe.

“Pumpkin pie can be high in sugar. It may contain a small amount of fat from condensed milk. It can have a lot of fat from the top that you put on it,” Czerwony warns.

Bannan advises using canned pumpkin puree instead of canned pumpkin puree to control the added sugar in the filling.

A cup of canned pumpkin contains 137 calories, or half the calories of pumpkin puree.

Is apple pie healthy?

Apples provide fiber, antioxidants and vitamin C, Bannan says.

“They add that natural sugar to the pie. So depending on how you make it, you can use a little more sugar if those apples are really sweet,” he says.

“Apple pie is a great option — it has apples in it,” Czerwony adds. “But of course that’s the way you do it.”

A slice of apple pie contains the following:

• 411 calories
• 19 grams of fat
• 3.7 grams of protein
• 57 grams of carbohydrates
• 2 grams of fiber

Bannan recommends changing apple recipes so that whole wheat flour is used for the crust, and healthy spices like cinnamon and nutmeg are used in abundance to enhance flavor and provide anti-inflammatory benefits. .

Go for a thin, light crust or even an apple crisp — which uses an oat-based crumb topping instead of a double crust — to reduce the number of calories, he says.

Eating pie a la mode or with whipped cream will add more calories, sugar and fat, so keep that in mind when choosing a dessert.

Which is healthier: pumpkin pie or apple pie?

Pumpkin pie is often considered healthier than apple pie, Bannan says. It is low in calories, fat and carbohydrates, and high in protein.

But the differences are small, and ultimately, both pies are sugary desserts, says Nancy Mazarin, a registered dietitian in Great Neck, New York.

“A pie is a pie is a pie,” Mazarin tells TODAY.com. You can’t put any apple pie in the apple category, and you can’t put pumpkin pie in the healthy starch category.

Have whatever you like best at Thanksgiving, or if you like both, have a piece of each, she suggests.

Focus on balance and portion control during the holidays, and enjoy every slice to enjoy the festive season, Bannan advises.

Eat dessert as close to dinner as possible to help prevent blood sugar spikes and post-Thanksgiving drowsiness, Czerwony says.

Enjoy the pie you really like, Mazarin adds: “If it’s not delicious, why eat it?”