Health Benefits of Turkey (2024)

FAQs

Are there any benefits to eating turkey? ›

Turkey is rich in amino acids such as tryptophan and glutamine, both of which are important for joint health and mobility. Regularly eating turkey can help support joint flexibility while reducing aches and pains associated with arthritis or other joint conditions over time.

Turkey is a popular meat that boasts high-quality protein, B vitamins, selenium, zinc, and phosphorus. It may support various aspects of health, including muscle growth and maintenance, due to its rich supply of nutrients. However, it's best to avoid processed varieties, as these are high in salt.

Meats, from healthy to not so healthy

Here's what they said, listed from healthiest to least healthy: Fish/seafood/shellfish: Wild Alaskan salmon, oysters and sardines are highest in healthy fats; white fish such as cod or flounder tend to be leaner. Turkey: White meat has slightly less saturated fat than dark.

Both chicken and turkey provide healthy protein. Generally, chicken tends to be higher in vitamin B6 and pantothenic acid, and turkey tends to be lower in calories, fat, and sodium while having more zinc, niacin, and vitamin B12.

Turkey is generally lower in saturated fat than beef. As such, it may be a better choice for heart health. Fat-free turkey is also the lowest calorie option if you're interested in weight loss. However, if your main goal is flavor, ground beef may outshine turkey in some dishes.

While meat can be a part of a healthy diet, not all sources are created equal. The leanest and healthiest meats to eat include poultry, pork, fish, and seafood.

Protein is a macronutrient, which means that your body needs a lot of it. Your body can't store protein, so you need to consume it every day. As long as you don't eat too much turkey, it is a healthy way to get the protein you need. It's also a good source of beneficial vitamins and minerals like magnesium and niacin.

try to limit processed meat products such as sausages, salami, pâté and beefburgers, because these are generally high in fat – they are often high in salt, too.

The Bottom Line

If you're eating for a healthy heart, lean ground turkey—which is lower in saturated fat—is the better pick for you. Of course, you can still enjoy ground beef from time to time, but choosing lean ground turkey more often will help your heart in the long run.

Turkey is rich in protein. One 4-ounce (oz) serving of turkey breast provides approximately 27 grams (g) of protein and all nine essential amino acids needed for muscle growth. 3 Adding turkey to a well-balanced diet may be especially beneficial for those trying to lose weight or increase their lean muscle mass.

What's the healthiest turkey to eat? ›

You might dig into the plentiful pile of turkey breast, which is typically considered the "healthier" choice. You can probably eat more turkey that way, right? Or maybe you gravitate toward the thigh meat or enter into the who-gets-one-of-the-drumsticks lottery. Both parts are widely regarded as the moister choices.

As you can see, the most significant difference between these two meat sources is their fat content. Otherwise, they contain many of the same vitamins and minerals in comparable quantities. The main exception is that turkey usually has a much higher concentration of B vitamins.

Turkey and chicken are often recommended as healthy alternatives to red meat. But if they are preserved, they count as processed meats and are harmful. Roasted chicken and roasted turkey in deli meat packets or at the deli counter have likely had nitrates added. Turkey bacon does, too.

Turkey is, in fact, an excellent source of necessary nutrients for healthy skin. The remarkable thing about turkey is its high concentration of good proteins and zinc. Zinc is responsible for maintaining our body's natural collagen and elastin fibers which preserve skin firmness and elasticity.

While it's higher in fat and cholesterol than ham, with about double the cholesterol, fresh turkey meat is richer in vitamins, protein, phosphorus, copper and magnesium. Ham provides more zinc, potassium and iron, but it typically has high sodium content.

Indigenous to the area and plentiful, turkeys were larger than chickens, ducks, and geese, making them economical to serve to a crowd. Also, turkeys didn't provide milk like cattle, or edible eggs, so slaughtering one for its considerable meat just made sense to North American homesteaders.