Many lunch meats are notorious for being high in fat and calories. Among lunch meats, turkey breast stands out as being less fatty and more calorie-wise than most. You get the most authentic turkey breast flavor and texture by choosing whole cut breasts. This is breast meat that may be seasoned with salt, spices and sugars, cooked and then sliced at the deli counter. Other forms of turkey lunch meat include greater amounts of additives.
Sectioned and Formed Turkey Products
Delis often offer turkey breast products for those who don't want to pay the premium price for whole cut breast. These meat products take chucks of turkey breast and bond them together using nonmeat additives, emulsifiers and "sticky" nonmeat proteins. This soft, pliable uncooked meat product is placed in molds and then cooked. The heat binds the meat, emulsifiers and nonmeat proteins into the molded shape. These products provide similar nutrition, though the plant-based protein will be less complete than the protein contained in the whole cut breast. The more highly processed meat has a softer texture and more artificial flavor.
Calories, Carbs and Fat
Three slices of turkey breast lunch meat weigs about 3 oz. and contain about 90 calories,, with 10 of those calories coming from fat, according to FitDay. A 3 oz serving has 1 g of fat, supplying close to 3 percent of the daily value of fat. It essentially has no saturated fat, and provides about 11 percent of the recommended daily value of cholesterol.
Nutrition
Turkey breast lunch meat is a good source of protein. A 3 oz. serving has about 14 g of protein, providing more than 30 percent of the daily value of protein. In addition to protein, turkey breast provides other vitamins and minerals, including 30 percent of the daily value of selenium, 14 percent of phosphorous, 17 percent of riboflavin, 7 percent of thiamin, potassium, zinc and vitamin C, 6 percent of iron, 4 percent of magnesium and 2 percent of copper, according to FitDay.
Sodium
Turkey breast lunch meat is high in sodium. Even before preparation, turkey breast is already high in sodium, and manufacturers often add more to enhance flavor and stabilize shelf life. A 3 oz.serving has more than 32 percent of the daily recommended limit of sodium, depending on the manufacturer and the amount of sodium added.
Additives
Many lunch meats, including some processed turkey lunch meat, contain additives to preserve freshness, ensure consistency, enhance flavor, tenderize the meat and protect flavor or serve as a binder. Whole cut breast meat will contain fewer additives, but even it may contain additives, including BHT, bromelin, corn syrup, emuslifiers, ficin, MSG, phosphates or sodium nitrate. One problem with buying lunch meats from a deli counter is that you don't get a nutritional label, so you may never know exactly what kind of additives are in the food you eat and you feed your family.
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