Ground Turkey Recipe – Are turkey burger healthy?

Ground Turkey Recipe – The beginnings of a Turkey Burger

Image by aMichiganMom
The “ Ground Turkey Recipe” 1 lb of ground turkey. some bread crumbs, one beaten egg, some fresh parsley, some Trader Joes, 21 Seasoning Salute, some salt, and some pepper. Usually I get my meat from the butcher, but I did my shopping on Saturday and the butcher was closed, so i had to get it from the grocery store — not as good as the butcher’s ground turkey.

People usually think of turkey burgers as being a healthier option to the traditional all-beef hamburger. Yes, they taste pretty yummy – piled high with lettuce, tomato, ketchup, mustard, onion and relish – but is it really the best choice? Are turkey burgers healthy? Are Turkey Burgers Healthy?: Not All Turkey Burgers are Low in Fat and Calories. But there are several Ground Turkey Recipe that can help solve this problem. Most people assume that because a turkey burger is made from turkey, it’s low in fat and calories. Not necessarily so. Some turkey burgers are made with ground turkey that’s mostly dark meat and turkey skin – which adds additional saturated fat and calories. In fact, ground turkey may be made from all dark meat – using whole muscle pieces – which may give it a fat content as high as 17%.  In a situation like this, eating a burger made from lean ground beef would be a better choice – as long as you choose a burger made from organic beef to reduce exposure to bovine growth hormone or antibiotics.

Low Fat Turkey Burgers are a Better Option

The key to a eating a  healthy turkey burger is to choose ground turkey that’s at least 95% lean and has less than four grams of saturated fat. A good choice would be Jenny-O Lean Turkey Burgers – available at most grocery stores. They have around 160 calories per patty and only 2.5 milligrams of saturated fat. Not all turkey burgers are created equal, so read the label carefully before dropping it in your cart. If you choose a lean turkey burger, it will generally have less saturated fat than lean ground beef. There are even some recommended  Ground Turkey Recipes from top chef’s like Bobbie Fray.

Other Benefits of Low Fat Turkey Burgers

Low fat turkey burgers are an excellent source of protein – with 22 grams per patty. Ground turkey is also a good source of vitamin B6 and niacin – and the trace mineral selenium.

Are Turkey Burgers Healthy?: The Bottom Line

A turkey burger is usually a healthier option than an all-beef burger – as long as you choose lean ground turkey that’s mostly white meat. Choose carefully and you can enjoy a tasty turkey burger with all the trimmings – without any of the guilt.

References:

Nutrition Data Website.