For those of you who are cooking and baking in preparation for a big family dinner tomorrow — here are some favorite food myths debunked. (Sorry!)

Unbaked batter has no calories.  Not so.  Even though those scrapings on the edge of the bowl are not yet cooked, they still count.

Edges of baked goods are free food.  Sorry again.  While burnt and crumbly edges are not the tastiest part of the treat, they contain as much sugar and carbs as the better part in the middle.

“Tasting” calories do not count.  Well, no, your body can’t tell that you were only eating that cookie or piece of homemade fudge because you had to make sure it was fit to serve.  It just knows sugar has arrived and sends the message to the pancreas to pump out the insulin, which delivers the “store fat” message.

Eating the lopsided or broken goodies which are not good enough to serve to company is noble and should not be punished by weight gain.  Well, I would agree if our bodies would agree.  Again, our autopilots can’t tell noble calories and sugar from ignoble ones.

Nibbles do not add up to significant calorie numbers.  Oh, but they do!  Quite quickly, too.

Bites…..well, you get the picture.  Tiny dabs and bits of sugary stuff turns into sugar in the bloodstream and puts your body into weight gaining mode, even before the feasting day arrives.

If you are going to add calories for a day or two, at least take time to enjoy them.  Instead of thoughtless bits and bites that you don’t really even like that much, sit down with goodies on a plate and eat them with a fork.  They are going to count, anyway, so make the most of them!

And have a very Happy Thanksgiving!

Eating to live and living for Christ,

Susan Jordan Brown