Nutrition
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According to nutritionist Fiona Hunter, "Choosing turkey makes healthy eating easy because it is incredibly versatile, tasty and quick. The breast meat is low in fat, high in protein and contains some of the essential vitamins and minerals that can be lacking in some people's diets." Read on to find out more.
Fat
Experts agree that a low fat diet is helpful for maintaining heart health and a healthy body weight. Skinless turkey breast is low in fat – a 100g serving contains just 1.7g fat and 124Kcals.
Turkey breast also has the lowest amount of saturated fat at less than 1g per 100g portion, compared with other mainstream meats.
Protein
Turkey breast and thigh are both high in protein which is essential for growth and repair. A 100g portion of turkey contains 27.7g of protein and can be enjoyed regularly as a contribution towards getting your recommended guideline daily amount (45g of protein).
Vitamins and Minerals
Turkey thigh and breast are a rich source of essential vitamins and minerals, including niacin for a healthy nervous system, Vitamin B6 for healthy blood cell formation, Phosphorus for healthy bones and teeth, and selenium for a healthy immune system.
A 100g portion of turkey breast contains over half an adult's recommended daily intake of niacin and nearly half the recommended daily intake of vitamin B6.
The same amount also supplies nearly a fifth of our recommended selenium intake and over a third of our daily Phosphorus requirements.
Source for the above * Independent Research
Fat/protein content within various meats
| Meat | Fat (per 100g) | Protein (per 100g) |
|---|---|---|
| Turkey | ||
| Meat, average, raw | 1.6 | 22.6 |
| Meat, average, roasted | 4.6 | 31.2 |
| Light meat, roasted | 2.0 | 33.7 |
| Dark meat, roasted | 6.6 | 29.4 |
| Whole turkey, roasted | 7.4 | 30.9 |
| Chicken | ||
| Meat, average, raw | 2.1 | 22.3 |
| Meat, average, roasted | 7.5 | 27.3 |
| Pork | ||
| Lean, average, raw | 4.0 | 21.8 |
| Lean and fat leg roasted | 15.2 | 19.0 |
| Lamb | ||
| Lean, average, raw | 8.3 | 20.2 |
| Lean and fat, leg roasted | 13.0 | 29.7 |
| Beef | ||
| Lean, average, raw | 5.1 | 22.5 |
| Silverside, lean, Pot Roasted | 6.3 | 34.0 |
Source for the meat nutrition chart – *McCance and Widdowson The Composition of Foods Volume 6