Ode to Pumpkin Pie
Over the river, and through the wood
Now grandmother’s cap I spy!
Hurra for the fun!
Is the pudding done?
Hurra for the pumpkin pie! (1844)
It’s the quintessential Thanksgiving tradition, right? Who doesn’t love a slice of pumpkin pie following the sumptuous dinner with all the fixings? Full of carbohydrates, sugar and fat and covered in whipped cream – it’s more than just delicious; it’s history on a dessert plate.
Thanksgiving, that most American of all holidays, is thought to have first occurred in Plymouth, Mass., in 1621 with the 50 surviving English colonists and Wampanoag Indians. Pumpkins are native to North America and were introduced to Europe in the 1500s so likely both the colonists and Indians were familiar with them.
The first “pie” was probably a type of savory stew served in a pumpkin shell and very likely did grace the table of that first Thanksgiving feast. Pumpkins became a staple for the New England colonists who brewed pumpkin ale, added dried pumpkin to flips (similar to hot buttered rum), and found other ways to add this tasty squash to their meals.
The first national day of thanksgiving was proclaimed in 1777 to celebrate victory over the British in the Battle of Saratoga, a turning point in the Revolutionary War. President Abraham Lincoln made Thanksgiving a national holiday in 1863 and in 1941 Congress passed a law making Thanksgiving the fourth Thursday of November.
Pumpkin pie, as we know it today, made from cooked pumpkin, milk, eggs, sugar, spices and a pastry shell, didn’t appear until 1796 and was immortalized in American Cookery, the first cookbook written by an American and published in America. But it wasn’t until the nineteenth century that pumpkin pie became a requisite in traditional Thanksgiving dinners.
The history of pumpkin pie continued to evolve over the years. Other interesting facts: -
- During the time of the Civil War, Southerners refused to make pumpkin pie as they associated it with northern Yankeeism, and instead baked sweet potato pie or added bourbon to pumpkin pie to make it “Southern.”
- Also in the 1800s, commercial bakeries started to mass produce pies for restaurants, hotels and other large scale users and were delivered by horse drawn pie-wagons and later trucks.
- By the 1920s canned pumpkin was in the pantry of every household in America, and in the 1960s frozen pies became available and remain ubiquitous today.
Yum! But for those with diabetes, pumpkin pie has long been a forbidden food. (You can’t eat that, you have diabetes!”) And no wonder: pumpkin pie can wallop a huge glycemic hit. But, with all this cherished American history, how can we tell PWD not to eat pumpkin pie?
“I can’t imagine Thanksgiving without pumpkin pie,” states Joe Stoke, PWD. “I just don’t test my blood sugar on Thanksgiving.” This “ignorance is bliss” approach to dealing with diabetes during the holidays is practiced by many folks who would rather eat first and ask questions later. But we can give our clients with diabetes a better, more sensible approach that can help them balance good health and holiday cheer. Let’s remind them of the basics of diabetes meal planning.
- Plan ahead. How do you want to spend your allotment of carbohydrates? Are you willing to skip the rolls and potatoes to have a little stuffing and pie?
- Moderation is key. Have a small piece of pie, and maybe skip the crust.
- Match insulin to carbohydrates. For those on bolus insulin, good blood sugar control is based on taking the right amount of insulin at the right time.
- Fill up on non-starchy vegetables. The Plate Method is still a great tool, maybe even more so during the holidays.
- Check blood sugars often. A two-hour postprandial check will give you a clear picture of how your body is processing the meal.
- Exercise lowers blood sugars. Go for a walk before or after dinner (ideally both).
- Skip the guilt. Don’t fret too much if you over ate. A guilty conscious can lead to more overeating.
- Learn from the experience. What should you do differently next time?
- Be careful with alcohol. Alcohol can lower inhibitions and may lead you to make poor decisions about what and how much to eat.
- Be thankful! We all have much to be thankful for. Let’s focus on that.