Think Ground Turkey Is Better For You Then Ground Beef?

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TrainingWithTonya
TrainingWithTonya Posts: 1,741 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Think again! Just a little side by side comparison for you.

The %'s listed (IE: 90% lean 10% fat, etc.) are based on the weight/volume not the calories. Here are some links for nutrition labels of both ground beef and ground turkey.

http://www.fatsecret.com/calories-nutrition/wal-mart/lean-ground-beef-93-7
93% lean/7% fat ground beef, 4 ounce serving, 170 calories, 8 grams fat, 3 grams saturated, 23 grams protein

http://www.jennieo.com/products/GroundTurkey/937LeanGroundTurkey.aspx
93% lean/7% fat ground turkey, 4 ounce serving, 170 calories, 8 grams fat, 2.5 grams saturated, 21 grams protein

So, same serving size, same amount of calories, same amount of total fat, but the turkey has less protein and only slightly less saturated fat. Not really an improvement. And that's if you can get comparable %'s in both. I buy the 93/7 ground beef at Wal-Mart because it is the leanest I can get in my small town. The only ground turkey they have is 85/15. Here's a link to it too:

http://www.jennieo.com/products/GroundTurkey/8515GroundTurkey.aspx
85% lean/15% fat ground turkey, 4 ounce serving, 220 calories, 17 grams total fat, 4 grams saturated fat, and only 19 grams protein.

Yeah, I definitely don't buy the only ground turkey available in my small town. ;) So, next time you are shopping for ground meat, be sure you look at the nutrition facts label and not just the % lean and assume that turkey is better then beef.
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Replies

  • LKSmith61
    LKSmith61 Posts: 10
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    lol - I just posted about this yesterday - I was so disappointed in the ground turkey facts when I plugged them in here. Here I thought I was being healthier, but not at all! And I don't even like ground turkey! Have a great weekend!

    Laura
  • sweetheart03622
    sweetheart03622 Posts: 928 Member
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    I think the issue is that you can't find lean ground turkey around you. I'm from a pretty big city (surburb of Chicago) and can easily find 97% lean ground turkey, whereas I can only get 93% lean ground beef. All fat is the same (calorically). Each gram of fat has 9 calories in it. So it doesn't matter if this fat comes from beef, turkey, or twinkies, each gram has 9 calories.
  • redfroggie
    redfroggie Posts: 591 Member
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    This is great as I can't stand ground turkey. When my husband and I were first living together he was vegetarian for health reasons, but would eat turkey for protein, I made turkey tacos, BLECH, turkey bolognese BLECH, turkey burgers BLECH BLECH. I finally converted him over to the beef side of life.
  • chevy88grl
    chevy88grl Posts: 3,937 Member
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    I only buy lean ground turkey - it is a little more expensive here, but worth it.

    Also, I can't stand the taste of ground beef now, so regardless of the nutritional side of it -- I won't eat it. *gag*
  • karensoxfan
    karensoxfan Posts: 902 Member
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    Lean turkey is usually less expensive than lean beef though, and has a different taste, so there are reasons to buy it besides the health differences.

    I agree though that grd. turkey is NOT necessarily "healthier" than ground beef.
  • cor1234
    cor1234 Posts: 6
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    if you eat out , order from jimmy johns and ask to for slim turkey on wheat bread. Yummy!!! low in cals!!!
  • sarahbear1981
    sarahbear1981 Posts: 610 Member
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    This is why turkey is better: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wshlnRWnf30&feature=share
  • Schwiggity
    Schwiggity Posts: 1,449 Member
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    There's a big difference between Ground Turkey and Ground Turkey Breast.
  • irishgal44
    irishgal44 Posts: 1,181 Member
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    Thanks for the info....I gag at the thought of ground turkeu. I just can't get past the taste. However, turkey hotdogs are very good for those who have wanted to know. :)
  • runlorirun
    runlorirun Posts: 389
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    That is interesting. I love the 93/7 ground turkey but not as a replacement for beef, I use it as something different to have. Kind of glad now that I wasn't using it as a replacement...lol
  • Newmammaluv
    Newmammaluv Posts: 379 Member
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    Very interesting!! I always look at the calorie vs. volume ratio. What is going to give me the best bang for my calorie buck. There's nothing worse than having a "full" meal and still being hungry!
  • wolfchild59
    wolfchild59 Posts: 2,608 Member
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    My hubby used to say he hated ground turkey breast and never wanted to eat it. After I cooked it for him and he learned that ground turkey breast can be well seasoned and not cooked to the point of ridiculous dryness and now he loves it. I buy the 99/1 ground turkey breast so for 4oz it's 120 cal, 1.6g Fat, .5 Sat Fat, 55g Chol, 70mg Sod, 26g Prot.

    I use it for burgers, to stuff peppers, to stuff portabella mushroom caps, rolled up in thinly sliced eggplant for pasta free cannelloni, in egg scrambles, in tacos, in burritos, basically in anything. It's all about cooking it properly. A combo of the right seasonings, right ingredients it's cooked with and not overcooking so it doesn't dry out.
  • nickscutie
    nickscutie Posts: 303 Member
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    Most ground turkey BREAST has 120 calories per 4 ounces, 2 grams of fat and 26 grams of protein.

    Regular ground turkey is breast and dark meat.
  • pixietoes
    pixietoes Posts: 1,591 Member
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    There's a big difference between Ground Turkey and Ground Turkey Breast.

    Word.

    I don't buy meat at Walmart, so I'm not familiar with their facilities, but at the supermarket where I do buy meat, I can take any cut of beef, pork or poultry I choose to the butcher and ask him to grind it to my specifications. It only takes a few minutes and I know EXACTLY what I'm taking home with me.
  • AKosky585
    AKosky585 Posts: 607 Member
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    I can get 99% lean ground turkey here. Only 1g of fat and 120 calories per 4 oz serving

    I can also get 95% lean ground beef here....5g of fat, 140 calories per 4oz serving

    It is available, you just have to find it. There is only one store chain that I am able to find these around me...but I definitely make sure I go there for my meats because they do have the leaner selections.
  • christine24t
    christine24t Posts: 6,063 Member
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    I like the taste of ground turkey better...it's almost spicier. In my town, I can only find 93/7, but I've seen leaner packages in the cities.
  • britachu
    britachu Posts: 157
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    I eat ground turkey over ground beef for health reasons (I'm not supposed to have a lot of red meat), but I like the flavor better anyway usually.
  • UsedToBeHusky
    UsedToBeHusky Posts: 15,229 Member
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    Thank you, Tonya, for debunking the myth. It doesn't matter if you like turkey or beef better, either way, there is no point in deluding oneself about which is healthier.
  • JEDDIE89
    JEDDIE89 Posts: 17
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    Super Target sells Jennie-O extra lean ground turkey (1% fat). It's a $1 more than the 93/7 and takes a little getting used to, but if seasoned right, it is delicious.
  • KnM0107
    KnM0107 Posts: 355 Member
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    I eat ground turkey and ground chicken because ground beef makes me vomit...

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