What’s in Your Turkey?
Every thanksgiving and Christmas we gather around with family and friends and typically talk and eat turkey. So what are we actually eating in turkey?
- Dark turkey meat typically contains more vitamins and minerals than white turkey meat but also more fat and calories.
- Pasture-raised turkeys typically have higher omega-3 content than factory-farmed turkeys.
- Removing the skin of a turkey also removes much of the fat content.
- Eating high protein food like mean helps you to feel satisfied and less hungry for longer.
- Most of the fat in turkey is in the skin, so remove the skin for a leaner meal.
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Nutrient Database, 3 ounces or 85 grams (g) of non-enhanced, roasted turkey breast contains:
- 135 calories
- 3.26 g of fat
- 0 g of carbohydrate
- 24.70 g of protein
In comparison, the same amount of dark roasted turkey meat contains:
- 173 calories
- 5.13 g of fat
- 0 g of carbohydrate
- 23.55 g of protein
Turkey also has:
- vitamins B-6
- vitamin B-12
- niacin
- choline
- selenium
- zinc
What’s in Turkey? Tryptophan
We have all heard about Tryptophan in turkey, but what you might not know is that all meat has tryptophan and turkey does not have enough of tryptophan to make you tired. So that means that you should be no more tired from eating turkey than any other meat. While it is true that turkey contains tryptophan, it does not have a high enough amount to cause sleepiness. In fact, all meats contain tryptophan. Eating turkey at Thanksgiving should not make you any more drowsy than eating a pork chop on an ordinary evening.
What many people do not know about tryptophan is that it promotes serotonin in the body. Seritonin makes us more alert and enhances a better mood.
You can Work it out with Irina at Life Time Athletics. Irina Marchenkova is a Fitness Trainer in Ajax doing Personal Training in Ajax at Life Time Athletic.
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