Contrary to popular belief that it’s the amino acid Tryptophan that causes your family to pass out after Thanksgiving meals, it’s most likely the carb-laden side dishes that turn to sugar in your system. Ironically, the rich, lean protein in the turkey actually helps stabilize insulin levels after your meal, meaning you should be less sleepy. That is, if you hadn’t eaten so many other things.
What’s more, turkey is a filling, important protein, and packed with loads of B vitamins, potassium, and other important vitamins and minerals. If you’re trying to skip the calories, you could pass on eating the skin, which also lowers the amount of saturated fats you’re consuming. It’s also said turkey might be “heart healthy” and much healthier wherever you can supplement beef with ground turkey.
While there may be disagreement on the skin removal, there’s more agreement about where you should get your turkey. “Fresh” from the market can mean the turkey was butchered 6 or 9 months before it actually hits your table. Antibiotics given to the bird during growth may be a concern for you as well, so you should try to locate a local farm or butcher where you can get cage-free, vegetarian-fed, antibiotic-free turkey meat. But other than the health benefits of truly fresh birds from private farms, a fresh turkey will taste better and cook faster, so it’s well worth it.
Check out a few healthy turkey recipes we’ve selected:
Herb-Roasted Turkey
http://www.eatingwell.com/recipe/249300/herb-roasted-turkey/
This turkey recipe from Eating Well Magazine seems to be the Thanksgiving cook’s dream turkey. It comes with great reviews, is gorgeous to look at, moist and yummy. With the Thanksgiving holiday meal coming up, you might want to give it a try.
Slow Cooker Pumpkin Turkey Chili
Mouthwatering Slow Cooker Recipes When You Have Guests To EntertainIf you just love your slow cooker, try this recipe. The website says this chili “is easy to make and is bound to please everyone around. It can also be treated as an amazing base and you can spice it up as you desire.” List of 36 of the Most Delicious Ways to Use Ground Turkey From Woman’s Day http://www.womansday.com/food-recipes/food-drinks/g41/10-tasty-ground-turkey-recipes-107455/ “Hearty and flavorful, ground turkey is an ideal choice for a variety of recipes. Substitute it for ground beef in everything from burgers and casseroles to meatballs and meatloaf.”