Although many people associate turkeys with the holiday season, turkeys are a healthy protein option available throughout the year. Wal-Mart is an international retailer that offers deli sections in many of its stores. These delis feature freshly carved turkey breast meat. According to "The Harvard Medical School Guide to Healthy Eating During Pregnancy," turkey breast meat is a good source of protein both for pregnant women and for any individual looking to eat a healthy, balanced diet.
Nutritional Content
One serving of Walmart deli turkey is 6 slices of turkey and contains 60 calories. Of these calories, 23.5 percent come from fat and 76.5 percent come from protein. Walmart deli turkey does not contain any carbohydrates or sugars. Additionally, the turkey has 11g of protein per serving, which represents 22 percent of the daily value (DV), 30 mg cholesterol, or 10 percent of the DV and 400 mg of sodium, or 16 percent of the DV. The turkey also contains 1.5 g of fat representing 2 percent of the DV for fat. The daily recommended values are based on an average 2,000-calorie diet.
Health Benefits of Eating Turkey
According to, "The Harvard Medical School Guide to Healthy Eating During Pregnancy," turkey is a healthy alternative to eating red meat because turkey has a high protein and low fat content. Turkey is also a good source of amino acids vitamins and minerals including tryptophan, vitamins B-3 and B-6, phosphorus and zinc.
Turkey Sandwiches
Walmart delis usually sell the turkey meat as part of a sandwich. While the turkey meat is a healthy, low calorie, high protein, low fat meal option, the sandwich will add calories, carbohydrates and fat to the sandwich. Based on a serving size of one-half a sandwich, the Walmart deli turkey sandwich contains 200 calories. Additionally, the sandwich contains 7 g of fat and 15 g carbohydrates.
Selenium
Turkey breast meat is also a good source of selenium. According to "Integrative Medicine," selenium is a chemical element that your body uses to facilitate the healthy function of the thyroid and immune systems. Selenium is also an antioxidant and may have cancer-fighting properties.
References
- LIVESTRONG.COM MyPlate: Smoked Turkey Breast (Walmart)
- LIVESTRONG.COM MyPlate: Turkey Sub Sandwich W/ Lettuce and Cheese on Wheat (Walmart); Buickhawk; Sepetember 2009
- "The Harvard Medical School Guide to Healthy Eating During Pregnancy (Harvard Medical School Guides)"; W. Allan Walker and Courtney Humphries; 2005
- "Integrative Medicine"; David Rakel; 2002
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