Food facts
Talking Turkey As we head into the holiday season with Thanksgiving feasts and Christmas gatherings, menus will be loaded with all things turkey. And once again we will be asking that age-old question: Will that be white or dark meat? So while your guests are pondering their decision, here’s some facts you can share...
WHY IS SOME TURKEY MEAT DARK? Meat is darker if it contains higher levels of myoglobin, a compound that enables muscles to transport oxygen, which is needed to fuel activity. Turkeys don’t use their wings much — usually only flying short distances from the ground to perch. They rely mainly on their legs to get them around. The active muscles in their legs and thighs are full of blood vessels that contain myoglobin (or muscle hemoglobin). Myoglobin delivers oxygen to the muscles. The more myoglobin the muscles contain, the darker the meat. The less active muscles like the breast and wing, contain less myoglobin and remain white. A 15-pound turkey has 70% white meat and 30% dark meat.
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A male turkey is called a tom or a gobbler, a female turkey a hen, and a baby turkey a poult or chick. Hens tend to be smaller, and meat from either will taste the same.
DOES TRYPTOPHAN MAKE YOU SLEEPY? It’s true that turkey contains tryptophan, an amino acid that your body uses as a building block to produce serotonin, which does help regulate sleep. But there is no more tryptophan in turkey than in other common meats like chicken and beef. Other foods, including nuts and cheeses, contain more.. That after-dinner nap is triggered by eating a big meal with lots of carbohydrates and sugars and your body producing insulin to digest it. Unlike turkey legs, turkey wings are considered white meat but have a richer, more gamey flavor than turkey breast
WHICH IS BETTER FOR YOU: WHITE OR DARK? White turkey breast comes out a bit ahead of dark meat, but surprisingly just by a feather. Per 3 ounces, opting for white meat over dark will save you 45 calories and 6 grams of saturated fat: 115 calories and 0 grams of saturated fat versus 160 calories and 2 grams of saturated fat, respectively. Both white and dark meat are a good source of protein, offering 26 and 24 grams per serving, respectively. However, dark meat does have one nutritional advantage over white meat — it delivers more iron (11% of the daily value, compared to 7% in turkey breast). The higher fat content of the legs and thighs imparts a lot of flavor, plus helps the meat stay moist. Whereas the white meat can be drier and less flavourful. ~ compiled by SUSAN BATSFORD/R.I.B.A.
