The leanest common poultry — and underused outside December for no good reason.
Turkey breast is among the leanest meats you can buy: very high protein, very low
fat, and cheap in most markets. Its association with festive cooking has kept it off ordinary
menus, which is a waste.
Dark meat and light meat differ more in turkey than in
chicken. The thigh has roughly twice the fat of the breast, and considerably more iron and
zinc. Neither is better — they are different tools.
The tryptophan story, by the
way, is largely myth. Turkey contains no more tryptophan than chicken; the post-lunch
drowsiness is the size of the meal.
Per 100g cooked skinless breast. Thigh meat is roughly 180 kcal with ~8g fat.
Based on the nutrients and fibre this food supplies. These are supporting foods, not treatments.
Breast dries out fast. Brining for a few hours is the single most
effective fix, and it works on a weeknight cutlet as well as a whole bird.
Turkey mince is a genuine upgrade. Swapping it for regular beef mince cuts
the fat substantially in dishes where the seasoning carries the flavour anyway —
kheema, bolognese, tacos.
Use the thigh for slow dishes. More fat,
more forgiving, more flavour.
Cook to 74°C for poultry. Unlike pork,
this one is not negotiable.
Turkey breast delivers roughly 30g of protein per 100g with about 1g of fat, which
is close to the theoretical ceiling for whole food. That ratio matters for anyone eating at a
calorie deficit and trying to hold onto muscle.
It is also unusually high in selenium
— a single portion covers most of a day's requirement. Selenium is needed for thyroid
hormone conversion, which is why it turns up in thyroid discussions.
Gout or high uric acid: all meat contains purines, and organ
meats most of all. Meat and seafood purines trigger flares far more reliably than plant
purines do.
Kidney disease: protein load often needs limiting. This
needs your doctor's numbers, not a general rule.
Pregnancy: cook all
meat through — no pink — and avoid liver because of its vitamin A content.
This is information, not a prescription. If you are managing a diagnosed condition or taking medication, talk to your doctor before making a large change to your diet.
Nutrition figures on this page come from standard food composition data. These links let you check the numbers and read the underlying research yourself rather than taking our word for it.