Turkey belongs to the pheasant family. Mexico is considered its homeland. It was brought to Europe in the 16th century. It got its name thanks to the Indians, who were among the first to eat it. Super popular in the USA and Western Europe.
In America there is even a holiday when turkey should be on every table in every home - Thanksgiving. For them, this is an integral attribute of the holiday, and not just a bird. Benjamin Franklin even proposed making this bird a symbol of America, as he believed that it was more worthy of a coat of arms than the bald eagle.
This product is still considered a delicacy, with particular health benefits if cooked correctly. The most tender meat that just melts in your mouth! Who can resist such a delicacy?
Turkey is eaten even on the moon! American NASA astronaut Neil Armstrong dined on it when he first landed on the night star.
Interesting fact! Chicken was domesticated 8 thousand years ago, while turkey was domesticated much later. Turkeys are wild birds themselves. They are very difficult to tame. They tend to get depressed and bang their heads until they give up the ghost. The bird's weight can reach 40! kilograms.
The diet of these birds is very diverse. They feed on seeds and all kinds of roots, as well as beetles and grasshoppers. Therefore, turkey meat is a real storehouse of vitamins and microelements. Turkey breast is considered the most dietary meat and is a leader among athletes. The amount of protein per 100 grams of product is more than 20 g, which almost completely covers the body’s daily needs.
Let's take a closer look at why turkey meat is so good. Benefit and harm.
The benefits of turkey meat
The famous American doctor Stephen Pratt compiled list of 14 superfoods, which slow down the aging of the body, help in the fight against cancer and diabetes, and prolong life. One of them is turkey.
Let's take a closer look at the benefits of turkey meat. For which millions of doctors sing his praises in different languages and in different parts of the world:
People who eat this bird will never have problems with their teeth and will always have healthy tooth enamel and a beautiful smile. The heart will work like a clock, metabolism will speed up
Turkey broth best contributes to the patient’s recovery from illness, gives vital energy and helps to return to a full life.
The calorie content of turkey breast is only 104 kcal, and thighs - 155, so dishes from this bird are suitable for all people, and especially for those suffering from excess weight.
Turkey meat should be included in your diet three times a week. A serving for women should not exceed 150 grams; for men - about 200; for children - 50-60 grams.
Contraindications
Unfortunately, turkey, like any other product, even the healthiest one, can cause significant harm to the body, if you eat it without knowing the limits. People who have:
- ICD (urolithiasis)
- gout;
- hypertension.
The harm of turkey meat is in its killer content of natural protein, which will attack people’s kidneys if they already have problems, so you should not overuse it with turkey meat. It is especially not recommended to eat fried poultry at night. The stomach simply will not be able to fully digest it and putrefactive processes will begin in the intestines, which will entail a lot of trouble for your health and well-being.
How to choose quality poultry meat
In supermarkets in our country, turkey is sold chilled whole or its parts separately - breast, drumstick or thigh. You can also often find vacuum packaging either hermetically sealed or wrapped in cellophane.
- Pay attention to the color and quality of the poultry. There should be no remaining feathers or bruises. The color is uniform pale pink with white streaks if it is the breast and wings, and the thigh and drumstick are dark in color with a reddish tint.
- Choose meat in vacuum packages marked "Air cooling. No water." This improves the taste of the meat.
- Fresh meat should not leave an imprint when pressed for more than 30 seconds.
- There should be no foreign odors other than the smell of raw meat.
Turkey farming has been put on stream by poultry factories and farms. Accordingly, if one bird suddenly gets sick, then the entire bird tribe begins to get sick. To prevent such a situation, farmers begin to feed them with antibiotics, and they stuff everyone without exception in order to reduce losses.
If you are unsure of the quality of the meat you purchased, it is better to pre-soak the turkey in cold water for 2-3 hours so that all the antibiotics are removed from the bird.
There is a way to test meat for chemicals. You need to cut off a piece of raw meat and set it on fire with matches. Natural meat will have a pleasant meat aroma without foreign impurities. Meat stuffed with antibiotics has an unpleasant smell of burning rubber.
Proper storage of turkey meat
What is the best form to consume turkey meat?
We figured out the beneficial and negative properties, how to choose, you already know. And now the question arises how to properly cook poultry in order to preserve as much as possible all the vitamins and microelements that are so valuable for our body.
There are many options for preparing this truly unique product. It is fried, boiled, marinated, grilled or grilled. The results are excellent nutritious dishes.
The best thing bake or steam the turkey. Thus, it will retain its juiciness, the tenderness of the meat and vitamins will remain in the bird. The meat cooks very quickly, so do not overdo it with heat treatment, otherwise you will end up with a “cracker” instead of the promised delicacy. The breast takes no more than half an hour to cook, and the thigh 60 minutes. Remove the skin before eating, because apart from fat, it does not contain anything useful or nutritious for your body.
Turkey goes well with fresh vegetables and lettuce. This combination will saturate your body for a long time and normalize the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract.
Turkey meat is hypoallergenic, therefore it is recommended as the first complementary food for babies, and it will also be very useful for nursing mothers. Poultry contains a lot of sodium and potassium salts, so the dish does not need to be salted when cooking.
The price of turkey meat varies from 200 rubles per kilogram of fillet to several thousand rubles for a whole carcass. Therefore, poultry is available to almost every segment of the population.
Finally, write down a recipe for delicious turkey rolls with the minimum amount of ingredients available to every pocket. Benefits for your body in every bite!
Recipe for delicious steamed poultry rolls with apple-lemon filling:
For this dish we will need:
First we need take the meat and wash it thoroughly under running water. Then dry with paper towels. Open the fillet like a book, cut it with a knife, and cut it into thin slices. We need to beat the meat with a special hammer.
Now let's start forming our rolls. Peel the lemon and cut into small cubes. Peel the apple and also cut into cubes. Place our filling on the meat and sprinkle cinnamon on top. Roll into rolls, securing with toothpicks.
That's it, the cooking process is almost complete and all that remains is to move our meat into the double boiler. Cooking time 30 minutes. Voila! The most delicious, healthy dish is ready. It will not leave even the most picky critic indifferent.
Thus, turkey occupies a leading position in the list of dietary and healthy food products recommended by world experts. The benefits of turkey are obvious, and the harm is minimal. If you care about your health, then be sure to include it in your daily diet, and your body will thank you.
Turkey is considered the largest poultry. Turkey meat is highly valued; it ranks second in consumption after chicken. Turkey meat is tender and not fatty, its preparation does not require special skills - boiled, fried, baked, stewed. Turkey is considered the main decoration of the Christmas table. However, poultry meat is not only tasty, but also healthy. It is the benefits of turkey meat that we will talk about today.
Turkey meat is considered one of the most dietary. Turkey meat is a low-calorie product. The energy value depends not only on the method of preparation, but also on the part from which it was cut. Breast contains the fewest calories - only 120 kcal/100 grams. The indicated amount of fried turkey contains 280 kcal. Boiled turkey meat is considered less nutritious - 195 kcal/100 grams. Well, the lowest calorie is stewed meat (110 kcal per 100 grams).
However, turkey meat is valued not only for its low calorie content, but also for its rich composition. Turkey meat is rich in vitamins (B6, B2, B12, PP) and minerals. Poultry meat has a high content of phosphorus (turkey meat is equal to fish in terms of this substance), sodium (exceeds even veal in this indicator), iron (turkey contains several times more Fe than chicken and 2 times more than beef) . Among other things, magnesium, selenium, calcium, potassium, sulfur, iodine, and manganese were found in the meat.
Turkey meat: benefits
After the composition of turkey meat, we should talk about the beneficial properties of meat, which are due to it. First of all, you need to inform us that turkey meat is absolutely hypoallergenic, which is why it is included in baby food. This type of meat should be included in the diet of pregnant and lactating women, sick people, as well as those whose activities involve heavy physical labor, since it will saturate the body with all the necessary substances. Turkey meat is very useful for depression and stress.
The beneficial properties of turkey meat also include:
beneficial effects on the cardiovascular system,
ability to strengthen immunity.
However, not only meat is useful, but also turkey internal organs and poultry fat.
In turkey liver contains a large amount of vitamin K, which plays an important role in metabolism in bones and connective tissues. In addition, it contains vitamins A, PP, B5, B6, B9, E, as well as almost the entire complex of macro- and microelements, including potassium, sodium, magnesium, iron and selenium. Turkey liver calorie content is 276 kcal.
Turkey heart saturated with proteins, minerals (iron, selenium, zinc, phosphorus), vitamins A, B (especially a lot - B1, B2, B5, B6, B12), C. - 114.8 kcal. The only disadvantage of this product is its high cholesterol content.
Benefits of turkey gizzards due to their high content of iron and folic acid. They also contain vitamin A, thiamine, niacin and riboflavin (B vitamins), as well as potassium, phosphorus, sodium, zinc, magnesium, cobalt, manganese, and copper. The calorie content of turkey ventricles is 114 kcal.
Turkey fat contains not only essential acids, but also vitamins E and D. In addition, they contain selenium and choline. The energy value of turkey fat is 900 kcal.
Turkey meat: harm
We are sure that after all that has been said, all doubts about the benefits of turkey meat and offal have disappeared. However, remember that only fresh and high-quality products are healthy. If you suffer from gout or kidney disease, it is not recommended to indulge in dishes that contain turkey meat. You will also have to limit their consumption if you have hypertension, due to the fact that meat has a high sodium content, or do not use salt during cooking.
If you decide to diversify your diet with healthy foods, be sure to include turkey meat in it. Stew, boil, bake, in a word, experiment and pamper your household! Dear visitors to our portal, we will be grateful if in the comments to this article you tell us about the properties of turkey meat that you know, and also share recipes for its preparation.
Turkey: benefits and harm on the site.
Life in the modern world is replete with many factors that negatively affect a person. The main ones are poor ecology, questionable quality of food, contaminated drinking water, poor quality medical care, as well as stressful situations and bad habits. Therefore, it is so important to pay attention to regular healing of the body using various methods and means. Before using the information, be sure to consult with your doctor. All advice on the site is for informational purposes only and does not replace examination, diagnosis and consultation with a specialist.
Turkey, also called “Spanish chicken,” is considered a dietary product and is highly valued among people leading a healthy lifestyle. Turkey meat is juicier, more tender and healthier than chicken meat, and anyone who tries it will no longer refuse this delicacy. When considering the benefits and harms of turkey, it is worth paying attention to the composition and properties of this meat.
Composition and calorie content of meat
This largest poultry belongs to the pheasant family. It was first domesticated and bred by North American Indians more than a thousand years ago. The weight of an adult turkey reaches 35 kg, females are noticeably smaller - about 11 kg.
Speaking about the benefits and harms of turkey, it should be noted that its meat has a composition that is unique in its chemical properties. It is a valuable source of vitamins, minerals and other beneficial substances. At the same time, turkey meat has a low energy value - only 216 kcal per 100 grams of product. Wings are considered the most high-calorie, since it is very difficult to remove the skin from them.
Turkey fillet has the lowest calorie content. It contains the following beneficial substances:
Benefits for the body
The benefits of turkey meat lie in its low calorie content and excellent nutritional value. It can be called the world's best source of natural protein, and in terms of the amount of sodium in its composition, it surpasses beef and veal. 100 grams of product contains only 75 mg of cholesterol, which is perfectly absorbed without harm to the human body. Turkey meat is recommended for consumption by children, pregnant women and athletes due to its low fat content, which promotes the absorption of calcium.
The following beneficial properties of Spanish chicken meat can be noted:
Turkey meat is useful for those who are overweight and on a diet. Turkey pieces can be served stewed or baked with a vegetable side dish. Such nutrition provides the body with the necessary amount of calories, maintaining a feeling of fullness for a long time.
Due to its high magnesium content, turkey meat has a salty taste, which allows you to add less salt when cooking. This is useful for hypertensive patients and obese people. This product is regularly introduced into their diet by athletes and those who engage in heavy physical labor.
Fresh poultry broth is offered to those recovering from a serious illness or to patients undergoing surgery. Turkey is good for women expecting a baby. Doctors recommend it because of its high folic acid content. Don't forget about this product for breastfeeding mothers.
Turkey meat appears in a baby’s diet from the age of six months. It does not cause allergies, is easily digestible and is a supplier of high-quality protein that a child needs for teeth growth and bone strengthening. Most pediatricians recommend turkey as the first meat complementary food, which will provide the little person’s body with the most important microelements, amino acids and vitamins.
Turkey fillet is very popular in sports nutrition. The high-quality protein that the meat of this bird contains is the main source of energy, promotes rapid muscle growth, and ensures endurance during long workouts.
The rate of consumption of this dietary product is only 150−200 grams per day. Dishes made from chilled meat are considered the most healthy.
Harm to the product
Due to its low calorie content and easy digestibility, turkey meat has virtually no contraindications.. When thinking about the benefits and harms of turkey for the body, it is worth noting that this product can be eaten by almost everyone. You can harm your body by using low-quality or spoiled meat for cooking.
Sometimes manufacturers treat meat with chemicals to improve appearance and increase shelf life. Preservatives, salt and antibiotics are mainly used for this. Large doses of nitrates can be found in smoked turkey carcass.
When properly kept, raised and fed, birds get healthy meat from it. It should only be purchased from trusted manufacturers.
If the diet contains a large amount of processed turkey meat in the form of sausages, smoked products, and semi-finished products, this can lead to the development of hypertension, obesity, increased cholesterol, oncology and infertility.
Due to the high protein content in the product, turkey should be consumed with caution by people suffering from the following diseases:
- renal failure;
- gout;
- urolithiasis disease.
Those who dream of losing weight should remove the crust from the bird during the cooking process. Although, of course, it is very tasty, you should not load your body with excess fat. Moderation should be observed in food - in large quantities, even dietary turkey will be harmful. Do not forget about careful heat treatment of meat to avoid the danger of salmonellosis. You can add a little salt during the cooking process, especially for hypertensive patients.
Some people prefer fattier parts of the carcass, such as thighs, wings or tail. The benefits and harms of turkey in this case are determined a little differently. The calorie content of these parts of the bird is higher than that of fillets, so they should not be eaten by people suffering from excess weight, hypertension and other diseases.
How to select and store meat
Speaking about the benefits and harms of turkey meat, you should pay special attention to the choice of poultry. The effect it will have on the body depends on this. When purchasing a carcass, you should carefully inspect it. The turkey skin should be light, slightly yellow, without spots, and moist to the touch.
Turkey meat is soft, but does not separate from the bone and does not fall apart at the slightest touch.. A quality product cannot be cheap, so it is better to refuse turkey at a suspiciously low price.
Chilled meat is stored in the refrigerator for no more than two days, ready-made meals - no more than four days.
Attention, TODAY only!
Today, most people know firsthand that turkey is the highest quality and healthiest type of poultry meat. Due to its composition, turkey meat, the benefits of which are simply incredibly enormous, is considered dietary. Currently, these birds are bred literally all over the world, including in Russia and many other CIS countries. That is why experts are well versed in the following question: “Turkey: the benefits or harms of this meat.”
At the first analysis of the nutritional and mineral components that make up this product, it becomes clear that the benefits of turkey, first of all, lie in the fact that it is rich in vitamins such as E and A. Also a distinctive feature of the turkey meat product, the benefits which immediately becomes obvious is a significantly low cholesterol content, which means that the meat is easily digested and absorbed by the human body. Consequently, thanks to this factor, turkey is classified as a dietary product.
Don’t forget that this meat contains all the microelements a person needs, namely iron, sodium, calcium, phosphorus, iodine, potassium, sulfur and, of course, magnesium. So, by consuming turkey meat daily, the benefits of this product become noticeable instantly, because you get not only the highest quality protein, but also many other nutrients and beneficial substances that your body simply cannot do without.
It should also be noted that in terms of sodium content in turkey meat, it is significantly better than products such as beef and veal, which is very strange. But, nevertheless, thanks to the presence of sodium in our body, the volume of plasma in the human blood increases, which contributes to normal metabolic processes and the healthy functioning of the entire body as a whole. Let's not forget that the relatively high level of sodium contained in turkey meat virtually eliminates the need to use salt during cooking, which is very important for people suffering from high blood pressure.
The ideal level of potassium in the meat makes this product the best of its kind. The level of fat is moderate, so the absorption of calcium, which plays a decisive role in the formation, occurs quickly and easily. Thus, turkey meat is considered a very useful product for preventive procedures associated with joint diseases, osteochondrosis and osteoporosis.
The level of iron is twice that of beef and much higher than that of chicken. Most doctors recommend using this product when prescribing diets for patients suffering from iron deficiency anemia. Thus, regular consumption of turkey undoubtedly prevents the development of cancer cells.
It is also worth mentioning such a product as turkey liver, the benefits of which are as great as the meat itself. After all, the ideal balance of protein, fat and carbohydrate content makes this product very nutritious and healthy. The important thing is that turkey has no contraindications for consumption. That is why this meat must be included in your daily diet. However, you should always pay attention to the quality and freshness of the meat. Since the goal that every person pursues is to obtain the maximum benefit from a given food product.
Thus, having received such detailed information about this product, everything becomes completely clear, and the answer to the question: “Turkey meat: benefit or harm?” suggests itself. You no longer have to be afraid that such an unusual product for you may turn out to be harmful and cause damage to your health. After all, as we have already found out, there is nothing healthier than turkey meat and liver.
Turkeys are members of the pheasant family. The bird was brought to Europe from North America. It is known that the Aztecs ate its meat. There was a time when this product was a rare delicacy. This product has gained worldwide popularity due to its delicate taste and beneficial qualities.
Turkey used to be considered a delicacy.
Dietary properties
Experts have thoroughly studied the benefits of this poultry meat. It is dietary because:
- it contains vitamins A, B6, B12, PP, K and E, the content of which is very balanced;
- it is not fatty and has low cholesterol content;
- represents light food for the stomach;
- quickly absorbed by the body;
- contains all the microelements necessary for humans: iodine, iron, calcium, potassium, sulfur, manganese, sodium and magnesium;
- it contains the same amount of phosphorus as fish.
Turkey is a healthy and lean meat
Beneficial features
The benefits of turkey meat are explained by the fact that its consumption provides a person with all the vitamins and microelements necessary for normal development. Therefore, it is recommended to include these useful products in young children, the elderly and the sick.
Numerous studies by scientists have confirmed the unique properties of the meat of this bird and the absence of harm from its consumption. An interesting fact is that:
- Turkey contains more sodium than beef and veal. Thanks to this, the amount of plasma in a person’s blood increases, which helps normalize metabolic processes. You can cook turkey without using salt, since the meat contains natural sodium. People suffering from high blood pressure can safely include this product in their menu. No harm has been recorded from its use.
- The potassium concentration is maximally balanced for the human body, which is important for improving heart function.
- The fat content of turkey meat is quite low. You can only compare it with veal. Meat contains less than 75 mg of cholesterol per 100 grams. Therefore, it is recommended for nutrition for obese patients and those suffering from atherosclerosis.
- Regular consumption of turkey meat is beneficial, since the calcium contained in the meat is maximally absorbed by the human body. It is known that this element plays a major role in the formation and strengthening of bones. Therefore, it is recommended for children, as well as those who have joint diseases, suffer from osteochondrosis and osteoporosis.
- A distinctive feature of this product is that the iron content in meat is significantly higher than in chicken and 2 times higher than in beef. This is an indicator for use in case of iron deficiency anemia.
Experts say that it has the property of preventing the formation of cancer cells.
Turkey meat is almost completely digestible
Turkey meat has the property of being easily absorbed in the body. Its low fat content promotes 95% protein absorption, which is significantly higher than for rabbit meat. Thanks to this, saturation of the body occurs much faster, and there is no feeling of heaviness in the stomach. Only its excessive use can cause harm.
It is known that one serving of turkey meat contains the entire daily requirement of omega-3 unsaturated fatty acids. They help improve cardiac activity and activate brain function.
The presence of vitamins and microelements helps to normalize the functioning of all human organs. Magnesium can prevent diseases of the nervous system. Selenium contained in poultry meat helps preserve and prolong youth.
B vitamins improve metabolic processes, and the strengthening of blood vessels occurs due to the presence of vitamin K.
The benefit of meat also lies in the fact that its consumption has no contraindications and does not cause allergies even in small children. It is of great benefit to those who have endured courses of chemotherapy and undergone radiation.
Turkey meat is suitable for children's menus
- In the form of complementary foods for small children.
- Expectant mothers who need a number of vitamins to safely bear a child. Among them, the most important is folic acid, contained in turkey meat.
- For nursing mothers.
- People suffering from sleep disorders. Turkey meat contains the substance tryptophan, which has hypnotic properties.
- For those who suffer from depression and often suffer from nervous disorders.
- Athletes and workers involved in heavy production.
Harm from meat
There is practically no harm from the meat of this bird. You should know:
- That it is not advisable for those who have kidney problems to consume this type of product in large quantities. The fact is that the protein content in it is very high.
- Hypertensive patients can harm their health if they add salt to their dishes. The meat itself contains a sufficient amount of sodium.
- Harm can be caused if it is stale or of poor quality.
- The disadvantage is that large economic costs are required to raise this bird. Turkeys need special care (they are very heat-loving) and special feed. The weight of an adult can range from 9 kg (turkey) and 35 kg (turkey).
Eating large amounts of protein is not recommended for people with kidney disease
Turkey dishes
All prepared dishes from this bird have an excellent taste and do not cause harm to the body.
To preserve the vitamins and beneficial qualities of turkey meat, it is prepared in compliance with special rules.
It should be borne in mind that it is best to eat turkey meat with vegetables. It is good to cook it with liver or mushrooms. These products complement each other, saturate food with vitamins and bring great benefits to the human body, especially children.
Eating turkey improves overall health and strengthens the immune system. The benefits are so significant that people prefer it over other types of meat. It is known that throughout the world, turkey meat is the leader in the poultry market. In terms of consumption, it is in second place after chicken.
