Nutrition & Health
Turkey is packed with high quality PROTEIN.
Every bite of turkey is an excellent source of high quality protein which is key for overall good health. Aside from basic body functions, protein has some important benefits:
- Helps build and maintain lean muscle mass to keep you strong.
- Keeps you feeling satisfied which leads to a more controlled appetite.
- Promotes muscle growth, calorie burning and satiety – all important for achieving a healthy weight.
It’s recommended that you aim for about 20 to 30 grams of protein at each meal. With 30 grams of protein per 100-gram serving, turkey is an easy and delicious way to help meet your protein needs.
White meat. Dark meat. Either way, turkey is LEAN.
Love dark turkey meat but go for white meat thinking it’s a healthier choice? Dark turkey meat has just 8 grams of fat per 100-gram serving while white turkey meat is extra lean with just 3 grams of fat.
What about ground turkey? It’s also extra lean with just 8.7 grams of fat per 100-gram serving. Ground turkey has just over half the fat of lean ground beef, making turkey an ideal choice for your healthy barbecued burgers!
Most of the fat in turkey is monounsaturated and polyunsaturated. In fact, almost half the fat in turkey is monounsaturated – that’s the same type of fat found in heart healthy olive oil!
Turkey gives you a boost with energizing IRON.
Iron is a mineral that keeps your body’s cells working properly, helps boost resistance to infection and helps your body to use energy. Iron delivers oxygen through your body to your muscles and your brain so you feel energized.
Turkey contains a type of iron – heme iron – that is easily absorbed by your body. All cuts of turkey contain iron, but dark meat is a bit higher in iron than white meat.
Plant foods, such as spinach, also contain iron – non-heme iron – but it’s not as easily absorbable by your body. Eating meat, such as turkey, boosts the absorption of plant-based iron.
Turkey is bursting with VITAMIN B12.
Vitamin B12 is found naturally only in animal products, such as turkey, and is essential for vital functions in your body. Vitamin B12:
- Keeps your nervous system – the body’s electrical wiring – working well.
- Is needed for the development of your DNA and healthy red blood cells.
Vitamin B12 is a water-soluble vitamin, meaning that it’s not stored in your body. You need to eat foods rich in vitamin B12 – like turkey – daily.
Check out canadianturkey.ca/nutrition for more information on the health and nutritional properties of turkey.