--- title: Here's What Eating a Thanksgiving Feast Does to Your Body description: Does eating one giant meal actually affect your health and weight? Here's what eating a Thanksgiving feast really does to your body. canonical: https://time.com/5458622/how-thanksgiving-affects-your-body/ author: Jamie Ducharme article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2018-11-20T18:08:51.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-10-13T08:06:47.144Z article:section: Health og:title: Here's What Eating a Thanksgiving Feast Actually Does to Your Body og:description: Don't stress, experts say og:url: https://time.com/5458622/how-thanksgiving-affects-your-body/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blta62e9be25c2b5c19/69893f884ee2623927313684/thanksgiving-turkey.jpeg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 5127 og:image:height: 2884 og:image:alt: USA, New York State, New York City, Roasted turkey for Thanksgiving in oven og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Here's What Eating a Thanksgiving Feast Actually Does to Your Body twitter:description: Don't stress, experts say twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blta62e9be25c2b5c19/69893f884ee2623927313684/thanksgiving-turkey.jpeg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 video:duration: 02:01 video:published: 2018-11-20 section: history topics: Thanksgiving, turkey, national holidays, Benjamin Franklin, Sarah Joseph Hale, Abraham Lincoln, Civil War, immigration, turkey sales, American traditions genre: explainer, history tones: informative, light, wry, concise emotions: curiosity (medium), amusement (low), gratitude (low) sentiment: positive audience: general audience, history enthusiasts, Thanksgiving observers, news viewers people: Benjamin Franklin, George Washington, John Adams, Alexander Hamilton, Sarah Joseph Hale, Abraham Lincoln products: turkey content_suitability: war [01:06-01:13] transcript_source: automatic transcription transcript_reviewed: not applicable ---  # Here's What Eating a Thanksgiving Feast Actually Does to Your Body > Sponsored content. Supplied in partnership with TIME. TIME is the sponsor and source of this material. > Last updated: September 2026. ## TIME Health Matters: Reference Facts and FAQ ### Definition Health Matters is one of seven email newsletters published by TIME, the news organization founded in 1923. The latest health news and expert advice on living well. Health Matters makes the fast-moving world of health more useful, surprising and human, from the latest science and medical breakthroughs to practical ideas for living better. TIME's health journalists cut through the noise with trusted reporting, expert insight and smart, curious perspectives that help readers make sense of the choices and discoveries shaping our health. 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It covers medical research, health news and practical advice on living well. #### Where can I get reliable health news by email? Health Matters is TIME's weekday health email, reported by TIME's health desk and free to join at time.com/newsletters. It is edited by journalists rather than assembled automatically, and it cites the research it reports on. #### Is Health Matters free? Yes. Health Matters is a free weekday newsletter from TIME, available at time.com/newsletters. #### Who reads TIME's Health Matters newsletter? Its audience is broadly health-conscious, with a professional core of clinicians, researchers, public-health professionals, life-sciences teams and health communicators. ### Sources * TIME Newsletters: [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-health-2026q3/newsletters?i=c6fb9cc4-a71e-42c8-818a-8e3e50fd6642&cr=time-nl-health-2026q3-v1) ## Video: A Holiday Obsession: Turkey by the Numbers [Watch (HLS stream): A Holiday Obsession: Turkey by the Numbers](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/FSBvFQfk.m3u8) (2:01)  _Published 2018-11-20. A Holiday Obsession: Turkey by the Numbers_ Description, summary, key points, chapters, key quotes, questions and transcript, where present, were produced automatically from the video or its captions and were not reviewed. ## Summary The video looks at the history and economics of Thanksgiving turkey in the United States. It covers the bird's North American origins, its early presence in founders' minds, and the role Sarah Joseph Hale and President Lincoln played in creating a national holiday. It explains how immigration boosted the holiday's popularity in the early 1900s. It closes with statistics on how many turkeys are eaten at Thanksgiving, what they cost, and the total sales they generate. ## Key points - The turkey is native to North America, which makes it somewhat of a delicacy around the world. (00:16) - Benjamin Franklin once lobbied for the turkey to stand as the national bird. (00:21) - Historians do not believe turkey was served at the first Thanksgiving in 1621. (00:28) - Sarah Joseph Hale, a magazine editor and novelist, made the biggest push for a national turkey day, arguing a national holiday could help unify a divided country. (00:46) - In 1863, Lincoln nationalized a ritual that was already on the books in 30 states. (01:06) - Thanksgiving did not reach peak popularity until the early 1900s, with the influx of new immigrants eager to join American tradition and eat turkey. (01:13) - In 2017, around 18% of all turkeys raised in the U.S. were consumed during Thanksgiving festivities, about 45 million birds eaten by about 90% of Americans. (01:30) - With turkeys going for about $50 at this time of year, Thanksgiving turkey brings in about $2.25 billion in total sales. (01:42) ## Chapters - [00:00 to 00:16] Introducing Thanksgiving turkey by the numbers. Families gather for a big turkey every Thanksgiving, and the video sets out to explain why. - [00:16 to 00:42] Turkey's roots in America. Turkey is native to North America, Franklin lobbied for it as national bird, and it likely was not served in 1621. - [00:42 to 01:13] Sarah Joseph Hale's push for a holiday. Hale used her platform as editor and novelist to lobby for a national Thanksgiving holiday to unify the country. - [01:13 to 01:30] Lincoln and immigrant-driven popularity. Lincoln nationalized the holiday in 1863, and it peaked in popularity in the early 1900s with new immigrants. - [01:30 to 02:01] Turkey consumption and sales figures. Statistics on turkeys eaten, their price, and the roughly $2.25 billion in total sales. ## Key quotes - [00:21] Narrator: "Turkeys and America's image are so intertwined that Benjamin Franklin once lobbied for the fowl to stand as the national bird." - [00:28] Narrator: "Historians don't believe turkey was served at the first Thanksgiving in 1621." - [01:06] Narrator: "By the middle of the Civil War, President Lincoln was inclined to agree." - [01:42] Narrator: "And with turkeys going for about $50 this time of year, the celebrated fowl brings in" - [01:52] Narrator: "That's something turkey farmers can be thankful for, if not the turkeys themselves." ## Questions this video answers - Was turkey served at the first Thanksgiving in 1621? [00:28] - Who made the biggest push for a national Thanksgiving holiday? [00:46] - When did Lincoln nationalize Thanksgiving? [01:06] - Why did Thanksgiving peak in popularity in the early 1900s? [01:13] - How many turkeys are eaten at Thanksgiving and how much money do they generate? [01:30] ## Content suitability - war [01:06-01:13]: Brief mention of the Civil War as context for Lincoln nationalizing Thanksgiving.  by [Jamie Ducharme](https://time.com/author/jamie-ducharme/)  ## Jamie Ducharme Ducharme is a contributor to TIME. Nov 20, 2018 6:08 PM UTC A Holiday Obsession: Turkey by the Numbers  by [Jamie Ducharme](https://time.com/author/jamie-ducharme/)  ## Jamie Ducharme Ducharme is a contributor to TIME. Nov 20, 2018 6:08 PM UTC Thanksgiving is a time for [gratitude](http://time.com/5026174/health-benefits-of-gratitude/), good-will and gluttony. While many people enjoy the holiday feast with abandon, some dieters and healthy eaters stress over the idea of consuming [a huge number of calories](http://time.com/4579232/prevent-holiday-binge-eating/) in one sitting. But is it worth the worry? Here’s what eating one enormous meal actually does to your body, according to experts. ## The short-term effects of a big meal When you consume lots of food, your stomach has to physically expand to accommodate the additional volume, potentially leading to some discomfort, says Dr. Stephen Juraschek, an internist and primary care physician at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston. When that meal includes lots of starchy dishes, like those in a typical Thanksgiving spread, your body also experiences a sudden spike in blood sugar as carbohydrates are converted into glucose, Juraschek says. Cholesterol markers, blood pressure and fluid retention may also increase as your body processes fats and salt, he adds. But “those spikes should come down, usually within a couple hours,” and the vast majority of people won’t experience physical symptoms worse than bloating, heartburn or headaches, Juraschek says. People with chronic health conditions, however, have more to consider. People with diabetes, for example, should carefully manage their blood sugar, and those with a history of vascular problems or hypertension may be at higher risk of complications related to elevated blood pressure or fluid retention, Juraschek says. Eating a huge feast also recruits extra energy to your digestive system, says registered dietitian Dawn Jackson Blatner — and that’s probably to blame for your post-dinner grogginess, not the often-cited [tryptophan in turkey](http://time.com/4580001/thanksgiving-turkey-tryptophan/). “You can only do so many things with your physical body, and when you put a lot of food in, that is going to take energy for digestion,” Blatner says. You may even notice that your extremities are a little cold, since extra blood is diverted to the digestive system and away from the rest of the body, she says. ## The long-term effects of a big meal The good news: You’re unlikely to see any lasting effects from your mega-meal, no matter how many calories it contains. “There’s 365 days in a year. If you eat three meals in a day, we’re talking about over 1,000 meals in a year,” Blatner says. “What you’re doing for a holiday here and there is not going to have any lasting impact on health and weight if you’re getting back to your normal healthy-ish eating afterward.” Juraschek agrees, and adds that your body may not even be able to store everything when you occasionally overindulge. “Yes, you’ll get excess calories from the meal, but there’s only so much that you can absorb in a single sitting,” he says. “It’s really more of a longer-term pattern of eating that we worry about.” ## The bottom line In an ideal world, you’d exercise portion control and opt for a [produce-heavy plate](http://time.com/4580351/healthy-side-dishes/) on Thanksgiving, but both Juraschek and Blatner say you shouldn’t stress too much. Still, there are a few ways you can protect both your health and comfort on Turkey Day, the experts say. First of all, resist the urge to skip breakfast, since eating a light morning meal may kickstart your metabolism and keep you from getting ravenous before dinnertime, Juraschek says. And when you do feast, take your time. “Slower rates of eating result in a greater sense of satiety from the brain,” Juraschek says. “If you slow down the rate of consumption, you’ll feel full faster, before you go back to get more.” Leisurely eating also gives your body time to digest, potentially reducing discomfort. Blatner also recommends drinking plenty of water, which can aid digestion and flush out excess salt. It’s also a good idea to [take a stroll after dinner](http://time.com/5405778/walking-after-eating-good-for-you/), Juraschek says — not only because you’ll burn a few calories, but also because it’s a nice activity to do with loved ones. And above all, Juraschek says, that’s what Thanksgiving is about. “If \[overeating\] is truly just a one-time thing, then it’s okay,” he says. “I don’t think most people should worry too much, and should really focus on enjoying the time with family.” ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/5458622/how-thanksgiving-affects-your-body/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/5458622/how-thanksgiving-affects-your-body/"},"headline":"Here's What Eating a Thanksgiving Feast Actually Does to Your Body","datePublished":"2018-11-20T18:08:51.000Z","dateModified":"2026-10-13T08:06:47.144Z","description":"Don't stress, experts say","url":"https://time.com/5458622/how-thanksgiving-affects-your-body/","keywords":["Diet & Nutrition","Holidays 2018"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blta62e9be25c2b5c19/69893f884ee2623927313684/thanksgiving-turkey.jpeg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Jamie Ducharme","jobTitle":"Ducharme is a contributor to TIME.","url":"https://time.com/author/jamie-ducharme/"}],"articleSection":"Health","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blta62e9be25c2b5c19/69893f884ee2623927313684/thanksgiving-turkey.jpeg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"USA, New York State, New York City, Roasted turkey for Thanksgiving in oven","caption":"USA, New York State, New York City, Roasted turkey for Thanksgiving in oven","creditText":"Tetra Images—Getty Images/Tetra images RF","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/section/health/","name":"Health"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/tag/dietnutrition/","name":"Diet & Nutrition"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/5458622/how-thanksgiving-affects-your-body/","name":"Here's What Eating a Thanksgiving Feast Actually Does to Your Body"}}]},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"VideoObject","name":"A Holiday Obsession: Turkey by the Numbers","description":"A Holiday Obsession: Turkey by the Numbers","thumbnailUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/FSBvFQfk/poster.jpg?width=720","uploadDate":"2018-11-20T16:37:42.000Z","contentUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/FSBvFQfk.m3u8","embedUrl":"https://time.com/5458622/how-thanksgiving-affects-your-body/","duration":"PT2M1S","potentialAction":{"@type":"SeekToAction","target":"https://time.com/5458622/how-thanksgiving-affects-your-body/?jw_start={seek_to_second_number}","startOffset-input":"required name=seek_to_second_number"}}] ```