white meat protein
Most of the white meat in chicken and turkey comes from the breasts and wings.
Due to the lower content of the protein myoglobin, the color appears whiter compared to the darker parts of the poultry. Myoglobin transports and stores oxygen within muscles and is responsible for the reddish-brown color of dark cuts of meat.
brisket
Breast meat is one of the most popular cuts of poultry, especially among fitness enthusiasts and dieters because of its high protein content and low calorie content.
Here's a comparison of the protein content in 1 ounce (28 grams) of grilled brisket:
Chicken breast: 9 grams Turkey breast: 8 grams Chicken breast contains 1 gram more protein per ounce (28 grams) of meat than turkey. However, nutritionally speaking, this difference is negligible. Either choice provides a good protein addition to the meal.
chicken wings
The white meat from chicken and turkey wings is nutritionally very similar to breast meat. In particular, compared to breast meat, the protein content of both birds is almost the same.
Chicken and turkey wings provide the same amount of protein per ounce (28 grams) — about 9 grams.
dark meat protein
The term "dark" is used to describe reddish-brown pieces of meat.
Due to the higher concentration of myoglobin, the incision has this pigment.
Because myoglobin helps transport and store oxygen in muscle cells, dark meat is often found in more active muscle groups, such as the legs and thighs of chicken and turkey.
Leg meat
Chicken and turkey legs, sometimes called drumsticks, provide the same amount of protein — about 8 grams — per ounce (28 grams).
thigh meat
In both chicken and turkey, the thigh meat is located at the top of the leg. Sometimes it is sold with it still attached to the leg, as a cutout.
Compared to chicken, turkey provides one more gram of protein per ounce (28 grams) of meat:
Chicken thighs: 7 grams Turkey thighs: 8 grams Although turkey thigh meat is technically the higher protein source in the comparison, one gram of protein per ounce (28 grams) isn't likely to make much of a difference overall. Either option is still a good source of high-quality protein.
Which one is healthier?
Both chicken and turkey provide high-quality protein and can be a healthy part of a balanced diet. But remember, too much of any single food, including meat, can have negative effects on your health.
Although protein isn't the only nutrient that turkey and chicken provide, adding moderate amounts of chicken or turkey to your diet can be a healthy way to meet your protein needs.
Total nutritional content (including calories, fat, vitamins and minerals) should be considered along with protein when deciding which option best meets your personal nutritional needs and health goals.
calories and fat
Depending on your health goals, it may be necessary to pay attention to the calorie and fat content of your foods.
Fat is an important part of a healthy diet, and poultry contains different types of healthy fats.
However, fat is a more dense source of calories than protein. This means that high-fat meat contains more calories than lean meat.
Overall, the dark meat of chicken and turkey contains more fat than white meat. The same is true for other types of poultry.
The dark cuts of chicken contain slightly more fat and calories than the dark cuts of turkey. The same goes for the white meat of both poultry species, since turkey is slightly leaner and has fewer calories than chicken.
It's also worth noting that if you eat the skin, you'll find that the fat and calorie content of any type of poultry increases.
This doesn't mean that any one option is necessarily better than the other, but it may be worth considering depending on what you want to achieve with your diet.
vitamins and minerals
While there are no significant differences in vitamin and mineral content between chicken and turkey, there may be some differences in these nutrients between white and dark meat in general.
For example, chicken breasts contain more niacin and vitamin B6 than chicken legs, and chicken legs contain significantly more zinc than chicken breasts.
Therefore, if you want to increase your zinc intake, dark meat may be a better choice, while if you want to supplement vitamin B, white meat may be more suitable.
When considering such dietary choices, it's best to keep the big picture in mind. Eating a variety of foods and meats may be the best way to ensure you're getting the nutrients you need.
generalize
Both turkey and chicken are rich in high-quality protein.
Chicken breast has slightly more protein than turkey breast, but turkey thighs have slightly more protein than chicken legs. Other cuts of meat provide equal amounts of protein.
Which type is healthier depends on your personal health and nutritional goals.
When deciding whether a certain food is right for your diet, it's best to consider the whole food, including calories and vitamins, rather than just one component like protein.
Eating a variety of foods to ensure an adequate supply of all the nutrients your body needs will best support your health. Balance is key!
