Turkey meat, unsurprisingly, comes from the turkey, a large bird native to North America. Turkey is commonly associated with healthy diet and lifestyle – there is a lot of healthy recipes all over the internet, and not only there. And it’s no wonder – turkey meat is packed with a lot of nutrients and protein. So… what makes turkey so special? And is it even that special? Let’s look at its nutrition and caloric values and, hopefully, we’ll find out!
First things first – before getting into the details and numbers, it is important to mention that turkey meat has two kinds of meat, therefore the nutrients and calories depend on the way it’s cut. There is dark meat that can be found in legs and thighs, and white meat found in breasts. In dark meat, there is higher amount of fat and calories, while white meat contains a higher number of proteins. Also, much of the fat in turkey is in the skin, so if you want to eat a leaner meat that contains less fat, simply remove the skin.
In general, thanks to the high amount of protein, eating dishes with turkey can help increasing the feeling of being satiated. Because of that, one may feel full for a longer period of time.
Now we’ll look at the numbers. Let’s assume that one serving of turkey is 100 grams and it contains 139 calories. If we want to focus on some other values, it contains 2.1 grams of fat, which is 3 % of daily value; 76 milligrams of cholesterol – 25 % of daily value; 467 milligrams of sodium – 20 % of daily value; and 29 grams of protein, which is 58 % of daily value. There is also a small amount of vitamin D, iron, calcium, and potassium.
The high amount of protein per one serving is remarkable since it helps maintain lean muscle mass and it also keeps insulin levels stable. It should, however, be noted that if a person incorporates any meat in their diet, there is already enough protein intake that doesn’t need to be increased.
In conclusion, turkey meat is a great nutritious source that can help maintain lean muscle. Including it in your diet will ensure you won’t experience hunger any time soon after consuming it.
