Turkey vs Beef

As most of my friends & family know, I am not the most adventurist eater in the world. I like to stick to what I know I like & that's pretty much it. But as I'm getting older (and my body is changing!) I have decided to start trying new things...things that are maybe a little healthier. I have always liked turkey...I think it tastes great! However, I haven't always been so keen on the idea of eating ground turkey. I think it's because I have always seen turkey cooked whole at holidays & that's just how I have become accustomed to eating my turkey. Then a little over a year ago I was at a friends house for dinner & they decided to make turkey tacos...YUM! It changed my whole outlook on turkey! Now I will substitute turkey for anything I can & actually prefer the taste over beef!

We all know white meat is better for you than red meat but some people may not be familiar with why exactly that is, so lets do a little comparison.

• A recent study shows that N-nitrosos compounds form at a higher rate in the large intestines if a high amount of red meat has also been consumed. These compounds don't form as rapidly if a high amount of white meat has been ingested. N-nitrosos compounds have been shown to be carcinogenic & have been associated with an increased risk of colon cancer.
• Multiple studies have shown links between red meat and an increased risk of heart disease & type II diabetes. White meat has not shown the same results when studied.
• Turkey has also been known to help maintain stable blood sugar levels based on the amount of protein it contains. Turkey is able to move through the digestive system at a steady rate that allows for better absorption of vitamins & nutrients as a result of the protein levels.
• One serving of turkey contains 6% more of the amino acid tryptophan than a serving of beef and about 100 less calories. Tryptophan has been shown not to make people drowsy like most people think, but rather to help prevent niacin deficiency & raise serotonin levels.
• White meat is typically more healthy than red meat since the majority of the fat is found in the skin leaving the meat leaner.

Now to the fun part...cooking with turkey!! I try to substitute turkey breast into my meals whenever I can. You don't have to come up with new recipes, just use the ones you have with beef or chicken and change the meat to turkey.

• Turkey Burgers are one of my all time favs!! I just make them the same as I would make hamburgers. Mix my ground turkey with diced onions, a little garlic salt & maybe a little worshishire sauce. Toss it on the BBQ and top with sliced avocado & crumbled blue cheese. It's really quick & anyone that has made hamburgers before can make an amazing turkey burger!
• Turkey Tacos is also really good. When I make tacos I don't use the prepackaged taco seasoning, I use fresh spices and herbs. I will typically just toss in some cumin, coriander, Cayenne pepper, onions & garlic. Then add a little water and let it simmer down. Then top with all sorts of good stuff...lettuce, peppers, onions, cucumbers!
• Turkey Meatloaf, Turkey Chili, Turkey Noodle Soup, Turkey Meatballs...the list of possibilities goes on and on!