Turkey Nutritional Facts

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Turkey Meat Nutritional Value | Turkey Products Nutritional Value
Turkey Cooking Nutritional Tips

The USDA recommends 2 or 3 servings of meat, fish, or poultry per day. A serving of any type of cooked meat is equal to 3 ounces and is about the size of a deck of cards. Concerns over saturated fat and cholesterol have caused many people to reduce or eliminate their consumption of many types of red meat and to choose a healthier alternative such as turkey. Compared to other meats, turkey has fewer calories, less fat, less cholesterol, and very little sodium, but it is high in protein, vitamins, and minerals.

Most of the fat in turkey is within the skin and most of the fat within the meat is in the dark meat. The white meat with the skin removed is a good food source for people on low-fat and/or low sodium diets. The meat fiber is easier to digest than other types of meat, which makes it a good choice for individuals that may have digestive problems. Turkey is an excellent source of several important vitamins and nutrients such as iron, niacin, zinc, potassium, and B vitamins.

Turkey Meat Nutritional Value

Nutritional Value Comparison of Turkey Meat to Other Meats
(Based on a 3 ounce Serving Size)

Type of Meat	Calories	Fat (grams)	Saturated Fat (grams)	Protein (grams)	Cholesterol (milligrams)
Turkey Breast skinless,roasted	115	0.6	0.2	26	67
Turkey Breast skin on, roasted	161	6.3	1.8	24	67
Turkey Dark Meat skinless, roasted	159	6.1	2.1	24	72
Turkey Leg skin on, roasted	177	8.3	2.6	24	72
Chicken Breast skin on, roasted	170	7.0	2.0	25	70
Chicken Breast skinless, roasted	120	1.5	0.5	24	70
Duck skinless, roasted	171	9.5	3.5	20	76
Lamb Shank fat trimmed, roast	153	5.7	2.0	24	74
Beef Tenderloin fat trimmed, roast	180	8.5	3.2	24	70
Beef Chuck Blade fat trimmed, braise	210	11.0	4.0	26	90
Pork Tenderloin fat trimmed, roast	139	4.1	1.4	26	67
Pork Blade Roast fat trimmed, roast	191	9.2	3.3	25	75

Turkey Products Nutritional Value

Nutritional Value of Various Turkey Products
(Based on a 3 ounce Serving Size)

Type of Product	Calories	Fat (grams)	Saturated Fat (grams)	Protein (grams)	Cholesterol (milligrams)
Turkey Loaf Luncheon Meat breast meat	94	1.4	0.4	19	35
Turkey Ham	109	4.3	1.5	16	48
Cooked Turkey Roast light and dark	132	5.0	1.6	18	45
Ground Turkey cooked	200	11.2	2.9	23	87
Turkey Pastrami	120	5.3	1.5	16	46
Canned Turkey Meat with broth	139	5.9	1.7	20	56
Turkey Hot Dog	192	15	5.0	12	91
Turkey Bratwurst lean	131	7.7	1.9	13	42

Turkey Cooking Nutritional Tips

Turkey can be even more nutritious if it is prepared using a low fat cooking method. Try one of the following healthy cooking methods if your goal is to enjoy turkey cooked with little or no added fat:

Skinless turkey pieces can be poached in water, wine, and/or broth with herbs and spices added. This will keep the meat moist and add flavor from the poaching liquid. Since no fat is added, the turkey retains its nutritional benefits.
Steaming is another healthy cooking method and because the turkey is surrounded by steam rather than water, none of the valuable nutrients leach out.
Stir-frying uses very little oil and cooks bite-size turkey pieces quickly. The vegetables, herbs, spices, and various condiments cooked with the turkey add flavor and provide a healthy, low calorie, low fat dish.
Grilling is becoming one of the most popular methods of cooking turkey and it is also one of the most healthy. The grilling process allows fat to drip away from the turkey as it cooks, keeping the meat nutritious and flavorful.

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