WASHINGTON – Can it be true – a dessert that is actually healthy for you?

When faced with the option of chocolate cake or pumpkin pie this holiday season – go with the pie.

A half cup of pumpkin pie filling provides nearly a quarter of the daily fiber recommended for adults, according to eHow.com.

One slice of pumpkin pie contains more than the recommended daily value of vitamin A, which benefits eyesight and the immune system. Pumpkin filling also has potassium, vitamin C and iron, which will all boost your mood.

Nutritionists at the National Institutes of Health say eating carotenoids, or yellow and orange vegetables such as pumpkins and squash, can help lower the risk for some cancers.

Just one disclaimer: Beware of the crust – as it can contain up to 188 grams of fat and a quarter of the recommended amount of daily cholesterol. So have a slice of pumpkin this Thanksgiving. As for the crust and whipped cream – well, you’re on your own for justifying those.

WTOP’s Megan Cloherty contributed to this report. Follow @WTOP on Twitter.

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