Turkey or wild turkey is one of the largest and most distinctive members of the Galliformes (a group of game birds that includes grouse, pheasants, and partridges). Turkeys are large, ground-dwelling birds with long legs, long necks, and large fan-shaped tails and normally 36-44 inches in length. The tip of the tail is usually chestnut-brown or white, depending on the subspecies. Generally, the wild turkey is dark brownish-grey to blackish, with an iridescent sheen to the feathers. The iridescence varies from copper, bronze, and gold to green or red. Wing and tail feathers have alternating dark and light bands and the wings are rounded, with large quill-like feathers. The head and neck are usually featherless and are covered in a series of raised bumps, called ‘caruncles’, which appear more prominent on the male. The long bill is curved slightly downwards.

The male turkey is normally called a gobbler or tom and has black tips to the feathers often making it appear almost metallic black. The head and neck are usually varying shades of blue, red or white, and are adorned with fleshy growths, called wattles. The male wild turkey also has spurred on the legs, and a coarse group of bristles on the chest, forming a ‘beard’.

Female wild turkeys commonly known as hens are smaller and duller than males. Most females do not have a breast tuft. Females have a grayish head and a feathered neck. The tips of the female’s feathers are often buff, brown, grey, rusty, or white, and the head is usually blue-grey, sometimes covered with small, sparse brown feathers. The hen does not usually have a ‘beard’.

Adult male turkey (or “tom”) normally weighs from 5 to 11 kg (11 to 24 lb.) and measures 100–125 cm (39–49 in) in length whereas adult female turkey (or “hen”) is typically much smaller at 2.5–5.4 kg (5.5–11.9 lb.) and is 76 to 95 cm (30 to 37 in) long. Weight may vary considerably with the time of year and resource availability. They are swift runners and fast fliers. Turkeys have been recorded flying at 88.5 km/h. Wild turkeys are normally omnivorous. They mostly eat vegetable matter like acorns, nuts, seeds, buds, leaves, and fern fronds. They also eat ground-dwelling insects and salamanders, which account for about 10% of their diet. The young turkey is called polts and is able to fly in three or four weeks, but they stay with their mother for up to four months.

Turkey meat is sold in numerous forms, including whole, prepackaged slices, breast, thighs, mince, cutlets, and tenderloin. Being nidifugous, these young chicks quickly learn how to feed themselves and leave the nest between 12-24 hours later.

History

Turkey is native to the forests of North America, from Mexico, throughout the mid-west and the eastern United States, and into southeastern Canada. The other living species is Meleagris ocellata or the ocellated turkey, native to the forests of the Yucatán Peninsula. Wild turkeys are one of the most widely distributed game bird species in North America. They are found throughout most of the eastern United States, and in pockets throughout the western United States. They are also found in parts of northern Mexico, particularly in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Wild turkeys have been introduced to Germany and New Zealand. It is nowadays found throughout the world.

Health benefits of Turkey

Meat is actually a valuable source of protein as well as other nutrients like vitamins, iron, calcium, and minerals. However, when it comes to a healthy and well-balanced diet, it’s significant to select the right kind of meat and eat that in the correct portion size. It is said that from the many slices of meat humans love, turkey is considered to be the best and the healthiest too. By consuming a meal of turkey meat, you are providing your body with vitamins B6 and B12, niacin, choline, selenium, and zinc. Along with these many components, you are also pampering your body with fewer calories and fats. Here are some health benefits of having turkey meat.

1. Cancer Prevention

Turkey consists of trace minerals that are supposed to aid in cancer prevention. Turkey contains selenium, which is important for the healthy function of the thyroid and immune system. Apart from that Selenium also has an essential role to play in your antioxidant defense system, helping to remove cancer-friendly free radicals in the body.

2. Good for the Immune System

This lean meat consists of the amino acid tryptophan, which produces serotonin and plays an important role in strengthening the immune system. Thus, this meat helps to keep you away from common winter illnesses.

3. For Thyroid Problem

Turkey meat is extremely healthy for thyroid patients, as it has a high source of selenium that is essential for thyroid hormone metabolism. Therefore, consume small portions of this lean meat to keep yourself healthy.

4. Bodybuilding

Many fitness experts recommend turkey for bodybuilding, particularly turkey burgers. They are rich in protein and contain a small number of carbohydrates and fat. A 4-ounce turkey burger has nearly 200-250 calories and 30 grams of protein which helps to build and maintain lean muscle. This helps to fulfill the daily requirement of calories and protein for a bodybuilder. Due to the additional nutrients found in turkeys such as vitamins and minerals, a bodybuilder is also able to recover properly after workouts. A good intake of nutrients even helps to reduce the risk of injuries.

5. Lower Your Cholesterol and Maintain Your Brain Power

The wonderful Niacin present in turkey may help increase your HDL cholesterol, the good kind, while also helping to reduce your LDL cholesterol, the bad kind. You can’t go wrong with that! Turkey is an excellent source of B12, which helps decrease levels of homocysteine that can contribute to cognitive decline.

6. Enhances mood

Amino acids present in Turkey are responsible for making neurotransmitters and serotonin is produced from tryptophan. Serotonin assists to enhance mood and thus consuming foods like turkey can considerably enhance your mood. People with anxiety and also depression are advised to consume turkey due this particular benefit.

7. Beneficial for men

Turkey also benefits men as its high protein content assists to maintain optimal levels of testosterone. This action protects men from a weakening in sexual desire. Testosterone is also vital in ensuring that there is no bone density loss and high testosterone levels usually result in increased sexual function, particularly in old men.

8. Good for Diabetic

If you are a diabetic individual, doctors would have told you to consume small portions of non-vegetarian foods. The best health benefit of eating turkey meat is that it has a low glycaemic index and therefore can help keep insulin levels stable.

9. IBS

White meat turkey is safe for IBS. However, it is advisable to remove the skin before cooking. Also choose organic turkey since it is less likely to lead to digestive problems.

10. Gout

Turkey is one of the healthiest foods, however, it can be damaging for individuals with gout. Turkey comprises high amounts of purines which can trigger gout attacks. Some people with gout are able to eat turkey but cannot tolerate other purine-rich foods.

11. Increases Red Blood Cells

For women, turkey meat is extremely beneficial. It has a rich source of iron, potassium, phosphorus, and zinc that help in increasing the number of red blood cells in our body. This in turn helps to keep the body warm during winter and safeguards you from winter sicknesses.

12. Lose Weight

A serving of turkey meat has 36% of the daily allowance of B3 and 27 percent of your recommended intake of B6. This does miracles for your metabolism and can prove to be awfully effective for those who are chronically constipated as B vitamins help peristaltic contractions, which pass waste through the intestines.

13. Good Source of Protein

Turkey’s benefits are so great due to the fact that this meat offers 65% of the recommended daily allowance of protein in just one serving. Infants who have behavioral disorders could lack muscle tone, it’s mainly crucial to ensure kids with developmental problems have an adequate amount of protein in their diet. Lack of protein can cause a lack of energy, spiciness, jitteriness, the feeling of weakness, and poor pallor. If you are experiencing this, you could calculate your daily protein requirements by taking the weight and separating it by 2.2. – It will give you your weight in kg. Next, take the weight in kilos and then multiply by 8 and you will have your daily protein needs in grams.

14. Insomnia

Turkey meat consists of a good amount of Tryptophan, which is used by the brain to produce serotonin. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that calms the mood and leads to a sense of well-being which is helpful for those who suffer from insomnia. Selenium is another nutrient found in turkey which encourages sleep and boosts immunity. Many people also eat turkey for insomnia because it contains vitamins B3 and B6 which are helpful in controlling the condition.

15. Pregnancy

Eating turkey during pregnancy is safe. However pregnant women should avoid eating deli meats as they can lead to a type of food poisoning. Avoid eating meats that are not refrigerated properly or have passed their expiry date.

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How to Store

Uncooked turkey should be kept in the coldest part of your refrigerator and can be stored for up to two days. Cooked turkey can be kept in the refrigerator for up to four days. Uncooked turkey that will not be used within 48 hours should be frozen.

Turkey Preparation Tips

To ensure the turkey you cook is perfectly safe, these are some guidelines you need to keep in mind:

• Steady cooking is the best option.
• Cooking at a lower temperature means cooking for long.
• To get the best results, roast the meat at 300 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Once the oven temperature reaches 140 degrees, you can increase the temperature to 400 Fahrenheit to brown the meat.
• To make sure the meat is cooked well, you can use an instant-reading thermometer.
• The best temperature to remove the turkey is from 155-160 degrees.
• While testing temperatures, make sure the thermometer does not touch the bone, as you will get wrong results this way.
• Keep the turkey in standby mode for 20 minutes so that it is done perfectly.

How to Eat

• Replace the ground beef in chili or meatloaf with ground turkey.
• Put some ground turkey burgers on the BBQ or grill instead of hamburgers.
• Toss cubed leftover turkey on your favorite salad for a tasty treat.
• Instead of chicken salad for lunch, make a turkey salad. Add almonds or walnuts for crunch and chopped apricots or raisins to up the sweetness.
• Cut boneless turkey into cubes, marinate and create skewers of turkey and veggies to put on the grill or BBQ.
• Try turkey cutlets for a change of taste.

Side Effects of Turkey

Turkey is a healthy food that is safe for consumption. In fact, it is often suggested for those who wish to lose weight. There may be some side effects though. Turkey’s health risks may arise in people who are intolerant or allergic to meat. This may lead to abdominal cramps and pain. Some of the milder side effects of eating turkey include the following:

• Since turkey consists of tryptophan, consuming it may lead to drowsiness. Tryptophan is an amino acid that passes into the blood from the digestive system and reaches the nervous system. It is then turned into serotonin, a neurotransmitter that can lead to a feeling of sleepiness and tiredness.
• Consumption of deli meats should be avoided throughout pregnancy and this includes turkey. It can lead to a form of food poisoning which can be damaging for the pregnancy. Food poisoning from turkey can lead to flu-like symptoms and even meningitis in severe cases. It is important to consult a doctor if such symptoms occur.
• Weight gain can occur if the turkey is consumed along with the skin. There are plenty of calories and a high amount of fat found in turkey skin. Even consuming a small piece of skin can supply your body with up to 70 calories.
• If eaten in large quantities, turkey can lead to vomiting and a feeling of sickness. Vomiting may also occur if you eat turkey that is not cooked properly as this can lead to a stomach infection.

Precautions Not Turkey

• The consumption of sea fish if one is trying to reduce inflammatory diseases such as heart disease.
• Farmed ones contain arsenic that leads to arsenic poisoning.
• Seafood should be cooked safely in order to prevent foodborne illness.
• Pregnant women, young children, older adults, people having lower stomach acid and compromised immune systems (HIV/AIDS, liver disease, cancer, diabetes, gastrointestinal disorders, people taking steroids, chemotherapy, or immune system) are prone to higher risk.
• It might be contaminated with bacteria such as Vibrio parahaemolyticus, Vibrio vulnificus, and other bacteria relate to land use, sewage discharges, runoff, etc. These microorganisms occur naturally in warm coastal waters which could cause even death or serious illness in individuals who are at higher risk.
• Listeria monocytogenes could cause a serious foodborne illness known as listeriosis.
• The virus Hepatitis A could survive in light cooking. So one should consume it after being properly cooked.
• Fish could have toxins that could cause illness such as ciguatoxin and scombrotoxin, or histamine poisoning.
• Sea fish is related to Scombrotoxin (histamine) which develops when fish is not kept cold enough. The symptoms develop quickly and also disappear completely within 24 hours.
• The flesh of tropical marine fishes might cause ciguatera poisoning experiencing gastrointestinal maladies that could last for several days, weakness in arms and legs, and reversal inability to differentiate between cold and hot. The symptoms could persist for weeks.
• Farmed seafood results in to increase in inflammation leading to weight gain, arthritis, and heart diseases.
• The imbalance ratio of Omega-6 and Omega-3 causes heart disease and hypertension.
• Seafood and fish in farms have polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), organophosphorus (OPs), organochlorine (OC), trifluralin pesticides, and hexachlorobenzene (HCB) causing diseases or even death.
• The seafood has a high content of mercury, which may lead to mercury toxicity.
• Consume it in moderate amounts. So consume it with caution or Avoid consuming it raw.
• Some people might get allergic reactions. So avoid it.
• It has a high chance of contamination.
• One should limit its intake.
• Consult the doctor by pregnant women and children before consuming it. Children and pregnant women should avoid it because the high content of mercury might cause a negative impact on the development of the nervous system of a fetus.
• Seafood or fish have purines in it which is harmful to people having purine-related problems. Excess purines result in an excess buildup of uric acid that could lead to the formation of kidney stones as well as gout.

References

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