Turkey Nutrition Facts

Turkey is often associated with the traditional Christmas and Thanksgiving feasts. However, consumption of turkey meat is not limited to the traditional feats anymore. Turkey is now one of the popular forms of poultry and its meat is widely used in a wide range of food products. Turkey meat is available year round in various forms. Turkey can be purchased in whole, slices and ground form. Even the individual pieces like turkey breasts, tenderloin and cutlets are available. Sliced turkey is commonly used in sandwiches. Turkey meat can also be used a substitute for chicken meat in food recipes. Another factor behind the popularity of turkey is that, turkey meat is low in fat and cholesterol and is claimed to be a healthy substitute for red meat.

Turkey Nutritional Value

As mentioned above, turkey meat is one of the popular types of lean meat. Turkey meat has high levels of nutrients too. 100 grams of turkey breast meat contains 2 grams fat, 4 grams carbohydrates, 4 grams sugars, 17 grams of proteins, 43 mg cholesterol and 1015 mg sodium. 100 grams of turkey breast amounts to 104 calories. The following table can help you in finding the nutritional value of turkey.

Nutrient	Value
Vitamin A	33 IU
Vitamin B1	0.1 mg
Vitamin B2	0.3 mg
Vitamin B3	0.1 mg
Vitamin C	5.7 mg
Folate	4 mcg
Vitamin E	0.1 mg
Calcium	8 mg
Potassium	302 mg
Phosphorus	162 mg
Magnesium	21 mg
Iron	1.4 mg
Zinc	1.3 mg
Selenium	22.8 mcg

Health Benefits of Turkey

Being loaded with nutrients, turkey is one of the popular lean meats with numerous health benefits. Though, it is said to have fair amounts of fat, skinless turkey is low in fat. It is said to contain less amounts of saturated fats, total fat and less cholesterol than other types of meat like chicken, pork and beef. Turkey is very rich in proteins, which are used for making amino acids required by the human body. It is said that a single serving of turkey can provide the daily requirement of protein. Another turkey health benefit is derived from its selenium content. Selenium is very much necessary for various bodily functions like thyroid hormone metabolism, immune function and antioxidant defense systems. It has been suggested that selenium intake is good for preventing cancer.

Turkey has fair amounts of B vitamins, which play an important role in energy production. The high levels of nutrients in turkey are beneficial for controlling blood cholesterol, prevent birth defects, aid healing, maintain blood pressure and to boost the immune system. Turkey is also claimed to be a testosterone booster and mood enhancer. Turkey contains an amino acid called tryptothan, that produces serotonin, which is a neurotransmitter, that can improve the mood. Studies show that tryptothan can also cure insomnia, as it promotes sleep.

If you are worried about the fat content, discard the skin. You can also retain the skin while cooking and remove it before consumption. This can prevent drying out of the meat. If you want to reap the health benefits of turkey, include it in your diet, in moderate amounts. Excessive intake of turkey meat is not advisable, as it contains compounds called purines, that may lead to kidney stones.