Can Eating Ground Turkey Help You Lose Weight?

A sensible strategy in your quest to lose weight is substituting the foods you usually eat with similar foods that provide fewer calories. The list might include plain yogurt in place of sour cream; low-fat cream cheese instead of whole-fat cream cheese; peanuts rather than pecans; and ground turkey as a substitute for ground beef. Shaving off calories gradually yields weight loss results that last.

Characteristics

Ground turkey is a source of protein with characteristics that make it a positive addition to a meal. It contains less fat compared to ground beef, which is beneficial to your health. However, with less fat, cooking it is trickier because of the meat dries out more easily. Grilling ground turkey patties over low heat is a good option because it preserves moisture and enhances the meat's mild flavor.

Calories

The bottom line in weight loss is the number of calories you consume. If you reduce the quantity, you will lose weight over time. For example, if you consume 500 calories a day fewer than your body's caloric requirement, you will lose 1 pound each week. Including ground turkey in your diet in place of ground beef would reduce calories by approximately 66 per 3 oz. serving. If you typically consume two hamburgers during a meal, substituting ground turkey would reduce the caloric intake by 132 calories, or 26 percent of a total 500-calorie daily energy reduction.

Meals

Including it as a textural component of chili, pasta sauce and Mexican dishes and stuffed cabbage and peppers combines it with flavorings that compensate for its blandness. Adding salt, pepper, oregano, tarragon, chili powder or paprika gives it character for particular regional dishes.

Purchasing Information

Most turkeys sold in markets in the United States consist of primarily white meat because Americans prefer it to dark meat. The turkeys are bred large. According to "The New Food Lover's Companion," turkey farmers frequently artificially inseminate turkeys because they become too large to mate naturally. If you buy a whole turkey, you could grind some of the meat at home with a manual or electric meat grinder or ask a butcher to process it for you.