Turkey is so expensive, is it really more nutritious than the chicken we usually eat?

Key Points

★ In general, you can just eat ordinary chicken to supplement protein on a daily basis.

★ Turkey is rich in iron, but there are many ways to supplement iron, so you don’t have to eat turkey.

Thanksgiving is a traditional festival in Western countries, and eating turkey is a common holiday food for foreigners. Speaking of turkey, it has many names. Turkey is also called turkey, which originated in North America. Because the appearance of turkey is similar to the clothes of Turkish people, it has another name called "Turkey". Because turkeys will "open their tails" when they are in heat, and the tumors and petals of the meat will change from red to blue and white, so it is also called seven-faced bird/seven-faced chicken. [1]

Compared with the common chickens that we often eat in my country, turkeys are larger in size. The smallest one is about 5 kilograms, and the largest one can even grow to more than 20 kilograms. Does that mean it is more nutritious? Let's take a look at the differences between them.

01

Are turkeys and chickens the same kind of chicken?

Speaking of turkeys, they have many names. Turkeys are also called turkey chickens, which originated in North America. Because turkeys spread their tails when they are in heat, and their lumps and petals change from red to blue and white, they are also called seven-faced birds/seven-faced chickens. [1]

The word "chicken" is in the name of the turkey, so many people think that it is the same species as the common chicken. Although they are both birds, they are actually different families and genera.

Turkeys belong to the genus Gallus in the family Gallidae in the order Galliformes, and are the same species as quails, while common chickens belong to the genus Gallus in the family Phasianidae in the order Galliformes. They are completely not from the same "chicken" family.

02

Turkey or chicken, which one is more nutritious?

Turkey and ordinary chicken are both good sources of high-quality protein as poultry. They are well absorbed and utilized by the human body. Adequate protein intake plays an important role in maintaining the body's immunity, losing weight and gaining muscle, and maintaining skin health.

So which of the two has higher nutritional value? Is turkey better?

In fact, if we discuss protein content, regular chicken meat is slightly better. The protein content of turkey thigh meat and regular chicken thigh meat is similar, 20 grams per 100 grams and 20.2 grams per 100 grams respectively, while the protein content of turkey breast meat is not as high as that of regular chicken meat, 22.4 grams per 100 grams and 24.6 grams per 100 grams respectively. [2]

However, the fat content of turkey meat is lower than that of ordinary chicken. Every 100 grams of turkey legs contains 1.2 grams of fat, while every 100 grams of ordinary chicken legs contains 7.2 grams of fat, which is 6 times that of turkey legs. Every 100 grams of turkey breast contains 0.2 grams of fat, while every 100 grams of ordinary chicken breast contains 1.9 grams of fat, which is 9.5 times that of turkey. In addition, the saturated fatty acid content of turkey meat is lower than that of ordinary chicken meat, which is more beneficial for preventing cardiovascular disease. [2]

Therefore, for those who are on a diet, if you have the opportunity to eat turkey legs or turkey breasts, it is highly recommended!

In addition, in terms of cholesterol, whether it is leg meat or breast meat, turkey has lower content than ordinary chicken, making it more suitable for people with dyslipidemia who need to control cholesterol.

In addition, turkey meat has a unique feature. Compared with ordinary chicken, turkey meat has a great advantage in iron content. The iron content of turkey leg meat is nearly 3 times that of ordinary chicken meat, and even higher than that of lean pork. The iron content of turkey liver is 1.7 times that of ordinary chicken liver, and the content of vitamin B2 is also very rich, which can promote the absorption and utilization of other non-heme iron in the diet.

03

How to cook turkey to make it delicious?

Because the protein content of turkey and ordinary chicken is similar, both are relatively high, and the fat content of turkey meat is much lower than that of ordinary chicken, so the taste of turkey meat is relatively "woody" and the taste is relatively light. It is more suitable to be stewed, which can better absorb the flavor and will not taste very "woody".

In addition to stewing, other common ways of eating turkey include: roast turkey, braised turkey, pan-fried turkey, etc.

However, no matter which way you eat it, you must pay attention to the amount you consume. According to the Dietary Guidelines for Chinese Residents, adults should limit their daily intake of livestock and poultry meat to 40-75 grams (raw weight) [3], which is about half the size of an ordinary chicken breast.

To sum up, turkey meat is very nutritious, but unfortunately it is not common in our country. Even if you can buy it, it is not cheap, almost 80 or 90 yuan per kilogram, so it is only suitable for occasional attempts.

▲Picture: From the e-commerce platform

If you want to supplement your daily protein, it is more economical to eat ordinary chicken. As for iron supplementation, you can eat animal liver, duck blood or clams 2 to 3 times a month.

References:

[1Wang Panpan. Turkey and its products[J]. Meat Research, 2011, 25(1)

:1-8.DOI:10.3969/j.issn.1001-8123.2011.01.001.

[2] Yang Yuexin. Chinese Food Composition Table 6th Edition Volume 2[M]. Peking University Medical Press, 2018

[3] Chinese Nutrition Society. Dietary Guidelines for Chinese Residents[M]. People's Medical Publishing House, 2016

Author | Xue Qingxin, member of Chinese Nutrition Society, registered dietitian, registered nutrition technician, health manager, public nutritionist

Review | Song Shuang, Associate Researcher, Institute of Nutrition and Health, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention

Editor | Ding Zong

First published on the "Science Rumor Refutation Platform"