Smart Shopping for Turkey

Turkey has been an American favorite ever since the Mayflower, and today is found in stores in a dizzying variety of products. Shoppers can find, in addition to fresh whole turkeys and cuts, turkey bacon, several varieties of sausage, jerky, ground turkey, even "turkey meat product."

The former may be made with preservatives, artificial color, trans fats, and other health hazards of the industrial food age.

Low in fat overall and high in protein, turkey raised and prepared in a wholesome fashion can be a healthy treat. You'll have to look carefully to make that judgment, however. Conventional turkey farms are massive factories with millions of birds in tiny, cramped cages, whose lives are filled with innumerable cruelties, including de-beaking, and injection of antibiotics and growth drugs. The turkey meat produced by such operations is of low quality, and loaded with toxic chemicals, and the turkey farms produce noxious waste.

Small farmers are better equipped to produce wholesome turkey.

What to Look for

Free-range turkey can be a real advantage, though there's really no guarantee that the "free-range" turkeys are treated any better than non-free range turkeys. For this reason, it's important do your homework before you buy that thanksgiving gobbler. Fortunately, many small farms are cropping up, following a national trend in the artisanal food movement. Visit the epicenter of this movement, the farmer's markets, where you'll find high-quality organic turkey raised with compassion, often at a better price than specialty retailers.

When selecting fresh turkey, look for skin that's free from bruises, cuts, and tears. The parts should be moist and pink, and the fat should be creamy white, not blue or gray.

Self-basting turkeys, or pre-marinated turkeys often come in a low-quality solution of trans-fats and artificial additives. Read labels carefully, looking for natural ingredients only.

When buying other turkey products, again, assiduous label reading is the only way to avoid consuming unnecessary artificial, toxic and even carcinogenic ingredients.

Common Pitfalls

The sell-by date on fresh turkey is seven days after processing, and turkey goes downhill fast, so don't buy turkey unless you plan on using it quickly-a day or to at most, or freeze it soon after purchase. Whole turkeys should be cut into parts before freezing.

Most people over-consume animal protein, eating more than is required in a sitting, leaving one's digestive system overburdened with the nitrogenous wastes of meat, urea, which is the basis of urine. An adequate serving size is four to six ounces, not the 10 to 16 ounce monster servings commonly found on American plates. This over consumption or excess calorie intake is a contributor to obesity and heart disease, among others.