How Healthy Are Your Favorite Holiday Pies? Here's What To Know

When it comes to favorite United States holiday desserts, an Instacart expert says that three common pies take the cake. The expert is trends analyst Alex Orellana, and she told Food & Wine that in 2024, people ordered plenty of pumpkin pie in November. However, consumers don't stop with the custard-y favorite. Said Orellana, "Other Thanksgiving staples like apple and pecan pie follow close behind."

Given the choice, though, should you opt for pumpkin, apple, or pecan if you're looking for the healthiest sweet slice on the buffet table? To answer the question, let's take a stroll through each pie's star ingredient.

Pureed pumpkin offers plenty to love nutritionally. In one cup, you'll find 7.1 grams of fiber, 63.7 grams of calcium, and tons of antioxidant compounds. According to a 2022 review of pumpkin's health-inducing potential in Plants, pumpkin has shown promise as a food known to reduce blood sugar, fight the development of some cancers, and protect brain cells from damage.

Of course, apples aren't exactly light on nutrients. They're also rich in antioxidants and fiber — especially pectin. As a 2021 review in Current Allergy and Asthma Reports notes, pectin supports the gut microbiome. And the more supported your gut microbiome is, the greater your gut health and its anti-inflammatory, anti-immune, and pro-hormonal system effects (via Cleveland Clinic).

But wait; pecans also possess hefty nutritional advantages. In every ounce of shelled and halved pecans, you'll be able to load up on 2.72 grams of fiber and 2.6 grams of protein. However, you'll also enjoy lots of additional micronutrients like calcium, potassium, and magnesium. And if you're prone to experiencing mental health ups and downs during the hectic holidays, pecans could provide the mental boost you need. A 2023 study in The Journal of Nutrition, Health and Aging found that eating nuts was associated with a lowered risk of depression in older subjects.

In other words, each of the three common holiday pies contains a nutritious base ingredient. Yet there are several other ingredients that you need to take into consideration when choosing which type of pie belongs on your "healthier choices for the holidays" plate.

The first is sugar. White and brown sugar can bump up the carbohydrate content of pies. Although carbs are useful, sugar isn't inherently nutritious. The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends that women eat just 25 grams of added sugar and men just 36 grams daily. For perspective, the amount of sugar in 100 grams of pumpkin, apple, and pecan pie is 24.6 grams, 15.9 grams, and 31.01 grams, respectively. This means one modestly sized piece of pumpkin or pecan pie will basically max out your sugar intake if you're a woman.

Another nutritional consideration is saturated fat, which may increase your risk of cardiovascular disease. For a breakdown of saturated fat in 100 grams of pie, count on 4.11 grams (pumpkin), 5.34 grams (apple), and 6.38 grams (pecan). The AHA suggests limiting daily saturated fat to 13 grams (based on a 2,000-calorie diet), so you may need to monitor the fat types in all the other delicious foods you're eating at your seasonal festivities.

Which pie is healthiest then? They are all relatively on par. And you could always make them healthier by baking them yourself and altering your basic recipe slightly. For instance, you could apply some of the ingredient swap tips offered by clinical dietitian Maria Petzel. Said Petzel, "Make pie recipes more nutritious by incorporating more whole grains, skipping the crust altogether and using less sugar" (via Pancreatic Cancer Action Network).