Turkey Breast Nutrition Benefits and Facts

Nutritional summary

Turkey breast is a primary source of lean animal protein, providing a high concentration of essential amino acids (the building blocks of protein that the body cannot produce on its own) while contributing significantly less to total animal protein intake in the U.S. compared to chicken .
Because it is a white meat, turkey breast is categorized by major health institutions as a lower-saturated fat alternative to red meat in dietary patterns designed to reduce cardiovascular disease risk .
Turkey breast contains a notable profile of non-essential amino acids, including glutamic acid (involved in brain function and metabolism) and aspartic acid (which aids in hormone production and the urea cycle).
One large cohort study involving over 188,000 participants found that substituting poultry, such as turkey breast, for red meat is associated with a lower risk of developing hypertension (high blood pressure) .

Interesting fact

The amino acid tryptophan found in turkey breast is often blamed for post-meal drowsiness, though it actually contains less of this compound than many other common meats and cheeses.

Standout nutrients

EPIC

SOURCE

Niacin

EPIC

SOURCE

Vitamin B6

ELITE

SOURCE

Protein

ACE

SOURCE

Protein from Amino Acids

106

kcal per 100g

Protein23.2g

Fat1.51g

Fat breakdown

Polyunsat0.41g

Monounsat0.44g

Saturated0.41g

Seasonality

Not available

Diet

Gluten FreeDairy FreeKetoLow FodmapPaleo

Sustainability

Moderate

Poultry generally has a lower carbon footprint than red meat but higher than plant-based proteins.

Confidencemedium

Storage

Refrigerate

1–2 days

Store in original packaging or airtight container

Freeze

6–12 months

Wrap tightly to prevent freezer burn

Flavour

Data & Sources

Harmonized from 3 validated sources

French Food Database

1 contributing source food

Swiss Food Database

1 contributing source food

McCance & Widdowson

1 contributing source food

Claim citations

Food sources of saturated fat and cardiovascular disease: A systematic review

[2]nesr.usda.gov

Table 58, Evidence examining the relationship between red meat compared to white meat in adults and older adults and risk of cardiovascular diseasea - Food Sources of Saturated Fat and Risk of Cardiovascular Disease: A Systematic Review - NCBI Bookshelf

[5]www.ncbi.nlm.nih.govncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Poultry Consumption and Human Health: How Much Is Really Known? A Systematically Searched Scoping Review and Research Perspective - PMC

[8]pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Coverage

Nutrients

FoodCompass

75.9

Version

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