Despite our proclivity for over-indulging during the holidays, many of the foods we pack into our mouths at this time of year really aren’t so bad in terms of nutrition. Calories and fat aside, a cup of cooked sweet potatoes, for example, contains the same amount of beta-carotene as 20 servings of broccoli. The butter and marshmallows people commonly add to the potatoes don’t exactly score points with the nutritionists, but if they help get these vitamin-rich friends into our stomachs a couple times a year, then what the heck?

And while nobody ever professed that gravy is good for you, it isn’t so evil when used sparingly and flavored mostly with herbs instead of salt. Send your turkey gravy through a strainer after it’s cooked, and 1/4 cup yields only 30 calories and 1.2 grams of fat.

Ideally, nutritionists say it’s okay to stick to our favorite traditional foods during the holidays, provided we can punch down the levels of sugar, fat and salt in the cooking process. And of course, reaching for second and third helpings does nothing more than spike your blood pressure and tighten your pants.

Those bowls of mixed nuts that appear on many holiday tables – fill them with organic, in-the-shell varieties and stay away from salted, candied brands. A 1-ounce handful of freshly shelled walnuts, for instance, provides 14 percent of the recommended daily allowance (RDA) of magnesium, which helps steady the nerves and promotes healthy skin and muscles. Just keep in mind that such a scant portion packs in 182 calories.

Below is a nutritional profile of other foods that we’ll likely encounter in the next few weeks and which offer some saving-grace benefits.

Though high in calories – and with more than a third of those calories originating from fat – a 1-ounce slice carries a good amount of blood-pumping iron from the molasses that goes into it and also provides 6 percent RDA of potassium.

• Gingerbread

Made with enriched flour, it’s low in fat and cholesterol and contains a decent amount of iron, riboflavin and B-complex vitamins essential for energy. A 2-ounce slice also gives you 7 percent RDA calcium and a couple grams of protein.

With a menacing 431 calories per 1-ounce slice, this all-American Southern dessert boasts 34 percent RDA of iron along with 15 percent thiamin, which helps the body convert carbohydrates to energy. But nutritionists recommend that home cooks use only half the salt listed in most recipes, which usually equates to about 228 milligrams a slice.

A 3-ounce serving of medium-size shrimp is an excellent low-fat source of protein (17.8 grams) and vitamin B-12 (63 percent RDA). It also has a decent amount of iron and niacin, and a kiss of heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids.

The sodium content sails through the roof at about 1,177 milligrams per 3-ounce serving. But the same portion offers relatively low-fat (6.5 grams) and moderately low calories (140). As most pork products go, roasted cured ham has significant amounts of various B vitamins and fairly high levels of vitamin C from the sodium ascorbate used as an additive.

Calorie and zinc levels differ from dark to white meat. A 3-ounce serving of dark meat contains 159 calories and 25 percent RDA of zinc. The same portion of breast meat carries only 133 calories and 12 percent zinc. And naturally, the white meat contains less fat – 2.7 grams as opposed to 6.1 grams. Yet with zero carbs in either, both are high in B vitamins and provide adequate levels of minerals.

Sans the butter and gravy, they aren’t fattening. And a 1/2-cup serving actually provides the kind of low-fat complex carbohydrates (18.4 grams) that control appetite and promote weight loss. Though not quite as nutrient-rich as baked potatoes, they’re close. The serving contains 12 percent RDA of vitamin B-6 and vitamin C, plus 2.1 grams of fiber.

If you can eliminate at least half the sugar in your relish recipe, cranberries are an excellent, low-calorie source of vitamin C, which helps the body absorb the iron and calcium contained in some of the other dishes on the table. They also boast a decent amount of fiber, about 2 grams per 1/4 cup. Interestingly, the early American Indians used cranberries as a poultice on wounds, as they’re known to have an astringent effect that contracts tissues and stops bleeding.