Turkey a special feature in America Thanksgiving comes with amazing health benefits that includes strengthening immune system, boosting metabolism, maintaining psychological health, supporting weight loss, promoting cardiovascular health, a good source of protein, supporting teeth and bones health, maintaining cholesterol levels, managing diabetes, treating anemia and supporting healthy skin.
What is Turkey?
Turkey isn’t only a festive meal of holiday season, but it can benefit your overall well-being throughout the year. It is a powerhouse of many nutrients and contains minimum fat and cholesterol content than other meats such as beef, pork, and chicken.
You can incorporate turkey into your diet in various ways such as adding grilled leg and chest pieces of the turkey, boneless meat into your salads and sandwiches. Nutritionists recommend consuming turkey meat without skin to avoid excess calories.
Moreover, you should only opt for fresh turkey meat and avoid buying frozen one as it contains preservatives. Consuming preserved turkey can increase your sodium intake which is not considered healthy for your body.
Nutritional Value of Turkey
A single serving of turkey breast contains following nutrients
- Fat 2g
- Carbohydrates 1 g
- Cholesterol 1 g
- Protein 24 g
- Selenium 24 mg
- Phosphorus 196 mg
- Vitamin B6 7 g
- Vitamin C 4 g
- Riboflavin 7 g
- Niacin 7 g
- Fat 3 g
- Potassium 3 g
- Thiamin 6 g
- Zinc 5 g
- Tryptophan 3 mg
11 Amazing Health Benefits of Turkey
1. It Strengthens Immune System
Eating turkey thigh and breast will provide you with a slew of nutrients and a boost in energy. It is loaded with potassium, protein, and selenium. When consumed regularly, the nutrients begin functioning resulting in a strengthened immune system. The selenium found in the turkey meat allows your immunity to ward off health-damaging viruses and bacterial infections.
2. Boosts Metabolism
Nutritionists recommend consuming foods that boost your metabolism. It is essential to keep your body active and energized. Moreover, studies have shown that people with an enhanced metabolism are less prone to weight gain. Thus, you can incorporate turkey into your daily diet to make this happen.
Compounds like potassium, niacin, zinc, thiamin in turkey are known to increase your metabolic rate. Turkey is also considered a whole meal due to its high nutritional value. It can work well to boost your metabolism. However, if you encounter frequent problems in this regard, you should seek professional help to identify the actual cause.
3. Maintains Psychological Health
You can find adequate levels of tryptophan in it that are essential when it comes to managing your psychological health. Various factors can affect your mental state leaving you with depression, stress, and anxiety.
Tryptophan is responsible for producing and boosting serotonin. It is a neurotransmitter found in your brain, blood platelets, and digestive tract. The latter is necessary to consume as it helps balance your mood regularly. Nutritionists suggest that serotonin deficiency could result in high levels of stress and severe depression.
4. Ideal for Weight Loss
Nutritionists not only recommend incorporating it into the diet of obese and overweight people, but they encourage eating it if you want to maintain your body weight too. That is because its meat is a powerhouse of nutrients like riboflavin, thiamin, vitamin B and C, phosphorus, protein, potassium, etc. Plus, turkey meat has no fat content.
Moreover, a single serving of grilled turkey breast contains only 23 calories that are indeed delightful for the people who want to lose weight but cannot imagine meals without meat. Therefore, incorporate turkey into your diet, reap benefits, and shed extra those pounds.
5. For Cardiovascular Health
Maintaining cardiovascular health refers to a diet packed with nourishing foods options. You can consume 2 – 3 servings of turkey in a week but avoid preparing it in excess oil. It contains zero fat content and fewer calories.
Nutritionists state that heart patients can incorporate turkey meat into their diet with regular physical activities to maintain a healthy, functioning heart. However, avoid making changes to your food without seeking professional advice.
6. A Source of Protein
Enriched with the high protein content, turkey could become your only safe and natural source to treat various skin, hair, and nail problems. These body parts are made of proteins and require frequent doses of the substance to help you steer clear of possible health complications concerning your nails and skin.
Moreover, the nutrient is also necessary to transfer oxygen to all vital organs; it impedes blood clotting and helps rejuvenate damaged cells. Therefore, you can reap plenty of health benefits only by incorporating it into your daily routine but do not forget that everything is meant to be consumed in moderation.
7. For Teeth and Bones
After calcium, vitamin D, and vitamin K, your body needs phosphorus. The mineral is necessary as it helps strengthen your bones and teeth. Apart from this, phosphorus facilitates your body to produce protein allowing it use obtained carbohydrates and fats.
You can find phosphorus in grilled or boiled turkey alike. One serving of It’s meat contains 196 milligrams of phosphorus, which can keep your bones and teeth healthy in the long term.
8. Maintains Cholesterol Levels
High cholesterol levels contribute to various cardiovascular problems. That is why nutritionists emphasize on consuming food with minimum cholesterol content. Turkey has been blessed with such a quality and like zero fat and fewer calories; it contains minimum cholesterol levels as well.
If you are prone to high cholesterol, you can still incorporate it into your diet. However, do not forget to consult with your primary care provider in this regard.
9. A Meal option for Diabetics
People with diabetes do not have much food options due to calories and sugar content in them. Studies have revealed that consuming moderate servings of turkey can be helpful to curb diabetic symptoms. That is possible mainly because it contains minimum calorie, fat, cholesterol, etc. Thus, people with diabetes shouldn’t be worried as they can consume turkey at least thrice a week and can satisfy their meat cravings.
10. Treats Anemia
People diagnosed with anemia are suggested to incorporate foods enriched with nutrients like iron. These properties promote red blood cells in your body that help ward off anemia. Consuming turkey can help in this regard as it is a powerhouse of minerals and vitamins. However, more studies are underway in this context.
11. For Healthy Skin
A well-balanced diet will show on your face and will give you supple, smooth, and fresh skin. Achieving flawless skin isn’t a tough nut to crack; it only requires consuming nutritious foods. You can reap plenty of nutrients by incorporating turkey breast into your salads. When you eat healthy meals, your skin will absorb minerals, and vitamins and their effects will begin showing on your face.
The health benefits are evident why nutritionists recommend incorporating turkey into your diet. Hence, consume it and embrace a healthy body.