Turkey:
There is probably no other food that evokes images of celebration, family, friends
and giving thanks than turkey. November is the month noted as the season for
enjoying turkey but its wonderful taste and nutritional value should not be reserved
just for the holidays as it is available to enjoy year-round.
The rise in popularity of this lean meat has been spurred by the increased availability
of individual turkey pieces such as breasts, tenderloins, cutlets and ground turkey.
These alternatives to cooking a whole turkey have made it more convenient for
people to easily incorporate turkey into their diets.
Health Benefits
Turkey is a very good source of protein. A four ounce serving provides 65.1% of the
daily value for protein, along with 11.9% of the daily value for saturated fat, about
half the amount of saturated fat found in red meat. The structure of the human
body is built on protein. We use animal and plant sources of protein for our amino
acids and rearrange the nitrogen to make the pattern of amino acids we require.
Turkey is a very good source of the trace mineral, selenium. Selenium is of
fundamental importance to human health. It is an essential component of several
major metabolic pathways, including thyroid hormone metabolism, antioxidant
defense systems, and immune function. Accumulated evidence from prospective
studies, intervention trials and studies on animal models of cancer have suggested a
strong inverse correlation between selenium intake and cancer incidence.
Several mechanisms have been suggested to explain the cancer-preventive activities
of selenium. Selenium has been shown to induce DNA repair and synthesis in
damaged cells, to inhibit the proliferation of cancer cells, and to induce their
apoptosis, the self-destruct sequence the body uses to eliminate worn out or
abnormal cells. In addition, selenium is incorporated at the active site of many
proteins, including glutathione peroxidase, which may be the most important for
cancer protection. One of the body's most powerful antioxidant enzymes,
glutathione peroxidase is used in the liver to detoxify a wide range of potentially
harmful molecules. When levels of glutathione peroxidase are too low, these toxic
molecules are not disarmed and wreak havoc on any cells with which they come in
contact, damaging their cellular DNA and promoting the development of cancer cells.
Just four ounces of turkey provide 47.1% of the daily value for selenium.
Turkey is also a good source of another cancer-protective nutrient, the B vitamin,
niacin. Components of DNA require niacin, and a deficiency of niacin (as well as other
B-complex vitamins) has been directly linked to genetic (DNA) damage.
B vitamins for Energy and Cardiovascular Protection
Turkey is a good source not only of niacin, but also vitamin B6. These two B vitamins
are important for energy production. In addition to its DNA actions, niacin is
essential for the conversion of the body's proteins, fats, and carbohydrates into
usable energy. Niacin helps optimize blood sugar regulation via its actions as a
component of a molecule called glucose tolerance factor, which optimizes insulin
activity.
How to Select and Store
Look for whole turkeys that have a solid shape, look plump and have a rounded
breast. Whether purchasing a whole turkey or turkey parts, the bird should feel
pliable when gently pressed, and it should not have an "off" smell. If turkey has skin
on it, it should be white in color and unblemished, without cuts or bruises. Do not
buy turkey if the sell-by date on the label has already expired.
If purchasing frozen turkey, make sure that it is frozen solid and does not have any
ice deposits or freezer burn. Additionally, avoid frozen turkey that has frozen liquid
in the package as this may indicate that it has been defrosted and refrozen.
If possible, purchase turkey that has been organically raised since these methods of
raising turkey are both more humane and produce turkeys that are better for your
health. Organically grown turkeys have been fed an organically grown diet and have
been raised without the use of hormones or antibiotics.
Jose Fuentes/CSCS/President/Writer-Author
IFPA Master Trainer Certified
Sports Nutrition Certified
Weight Management Instructor Certified
Human Movement Science Specialist
Kinetic Chain Assessment Specialist
www.shapesrin.com
There is probably no other food that evokes images of celebration, family, friends
and giving thanks than turkey. November is the month noted as the season for
enjoying turkey but its wonderful taste and nutritional value should not be reserved
just for the holidays as it is available to enjoy year-round.
The rise in popularity of this lean meat has been spurred by the increased availability
of individual turkey pieces such as breasts, tenderloins, cutlets and ground turkey.
These alternatives to cooking a whole turkey have made it more convenient for
people to easily incorporate turkey into their diets.
Health Benefits
Turkey is a very good source of protein. A four ounce serving provides 65.1% of the
daily value for protein, along with 11.9% of the daily value for saturated fat, about
half the amount of saturated fat found in red meat. The structure of the human
body is built on protein. We use animal and plant sources of protein for our amino
acids and rearrange the nitrogen to make the pattern of amino acids we require.
Turkey is a very good source of the trace mineral, selenium. Selenium is of
fundamental importance to human health. It is an essential component of several
major metabolic pathways, including thyroid hormone metabolism, antioxidant
defense systems, and immune function. Accumulated evidence from prospective
studies, intervention trials and studies on animal models of cancer have suggested a
strong inverse correlation between selenium intake and cancer incidence.
Several mechanisms have been suggested to explain the cancer-preventive activities
of selenium. Selenium has been shown to induce DNA repair and synthesis in
damaged cells, to inhibit the proliferation of cancer cells, and to induce their
apoptosis, the self-destruct sequence the body uses to eliminate worn out or
abnormal cells. In addition, selenium is incorporated at the active site of many
proteins, including glutathione peroxidase, which may be the most important for
cancer protection. One of the body's most powerful antioxidant enzymes,
glutathione peroxidase is used in the liver to detoxify a wide range of potentially
harmful molecules. When levels of glutathione peroxidase are too low, these toxic
molecules are not disarmed and wreak havoc on any cells with which they come in
contact, damaging their cellular DNA and promoting the development of cancer cells.
Just four ounces of turkey provide 47.1% of the daily value for selenium.
Turkey is also a good source of another cancer-protective nutrient, the B vitamin,
niacin. Components of DNA require niacin, and a deficiency of niacin (as well as other
B-complex vitamins) has been directly linked to genetic (DNA) damage.
B vitamins for Energy and Cardiovascular Protection
Turkey is a good source not only of niacin, but also vitamin B6. These two B vitamins
are important for energy production. In addition to its DNA actions, niacin is
essential for the conversion of the body's proteins, fats, and carbohydrates into
usable energy. Niacin helps optimize blood sugar regulation via its actions as a
component of a molecule called glucose tolerance factor, which optimizes insulin
activity.
How to Select and Store
Look for whole turkeys that have a solid shape, look plump and have a rounded
breast. Whether purchasing a whole turkey or turkey parts, the bird should feel
pliable when gently pressed, and it should not have an "off" smell. If turkey has skin
on it, it should be white in color and unblemished, without cuts or bruises. Do not
buy turkey if the sell-by date on the label has already expired.
If purchasing frozen turkey, make sure that it is frozen solid and does not have any
ice deposits or freezer burn. Additionally, avoid frozen turkey that has frozen liquid
in the package as this may indicate that it has been defrosted and refrozen.
If possible, purchase turkey that has been organically raised since these methods of
raising turkey are both more humane and produce turkeys that are better for your
health. Organically grown turkeys have been fed an organically grown diet and have
been raised without the use of hormones or antibiotics.
Jose Fuentes/CSCS/President/Writer-Author
IFPA Master Trainer Certified
Sports Nutrition Certified
Weight Management Instructor Certified
Human Movement Science Specialist
Kinetic Chain Assessment Specialist
www.shapesrin.com
NEWSLETTER of November 2009
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