With a particular pilgrim laden holiday on the horizon, our best health clubs’ registered dietitians couldn’t help but feel compelled to dish on why turkey is more than just delish. So what is it, besides taste, that makes turkeys one of America’s most beloved Thanksgiving staples? Momentarily stop the clock on your treadmill and check out our forkful of facts:
Every time you reach across the Thanksgiving table for a slice of turkey, you’re adding to your day’s protein intake. And we all know that our bodies need plenty of protein. The Center for Disease Control recommends that we eat anywhere between 13 and 56 grams per day, depending on our total body weight, age and lifestyle. It should also be noted that each 33 gram serving of breast meat alone is likely to net a person 6 grams of the invaluable stuff.
In addition to body enriching protein, that helping of mom’s roast turkey is also apt to be reach in potassium, B vitamins, iron, phosphorus, zinc and selenium. They’re all essential to maintaining health too, especially the selenium. Known as an immune system boosting antioxidant, it could help stave off that winter cold as well. And who wants to spend the holidays sneezing and miserable? Certainly not our best health clubs’ members and staff.
Do you desire beautiful skin, a persistent smile and a well rested state of mind? Well, a healthy serving of holiday bird can do that for you too, thanks to those B vitamins that we mentioned earlier and tryptophan. They play a critical role in melatonin and serotonin production, which are two other things that our bodies crave.
Lastly, holiday turkey tends to be very low in fat, unless of course your family loves to dunk a bird or two into oversized fryers. In that case, the low fat benefit will end up out the window. Plus, you’ll have the extra stress of having to make sure that the fryer doesn’t catch fire. To learn more from our best health clubs’ registered dietitians in time for Thanksgiving and other holiday meals, please contact us today.