Turkey burger nutrition is phenomenal!  We know that lean meats were a large part of the paleolithic diet and turkey burger fits right in. Turkey is a good source of iron, zinc, potassium and, of course, protein.  It is such a great source of protein that eat it everyday.

Of course, wild turkey would be best, but for convenience and cost, lean turkey burger is a great choice.

Turkey Nutrition Highlights (per 4oz)

• 19 g Protein (40% DV)
• 1.6 mg Iron (8% DV)
• 1.6 mg Zinc (8% DV)
• 0.4 mg Riboflavin (20% DV)
• 336 mg Potassium (8% DV)
• 25 mcg Selenium (36% DV)

Turkey is Low in Saturated Fat

Turkey is one of the leanest meats making it a great protein for those watching their saturated fat intake.  A typical 4 ounce serving of very lean hamburger has much more saturated fat than the same very lean turkey burger.  Whether saturated fat is categorically causal in heart disease has been questioned recently. Nonetheless, eating lean meats will allow you more control of the types of fat you decide to eat.

Turkey Burger Staves hunger

Lean turkey burger is great for reducing your appetite. In fact, it takes more energy to metabolize protein than other macronutrients. So you can burn more calories just metabolizing turkey/protein compared to other foods. According to researchers, “There is convincing evidence that a higher protein intake increases thermogenesis and satiety compared to diets of lower protein content.” [1]

Finding good Turkey Burger

Theoretical turkey burger is great but, I have found it very difficult to find LEAN turkey burger that is both convenient and cheap. I’m told that many of you have found the same.

So…I was thrilled to find easy-to-cook, lean turkey burger at a great price at Costco!  You have to get the patties and not the ground turkey as the “ground turkey” sold is much higher in fat.

Costco turkey burgers compared to other brands is both very LEAN and cheap…about $2.50 per pound.  It is also very convenient to grill and freeze.

Kirkland Turkey Burgers

Nutrition Facts
Serving Size: 1 Burger
Amount per Serving
Calories 200 Calories from Fat 50
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 5g 8%
Saturated Fat 1.5g 8%
Monounsaturated Fat 0g
Polyunsaturated Fat 0g
Trans Fat 0g
Cholesterol 85mg 28%
Sodium 390mg 16%
Potassium 0mg 0%
Total Carbohydrate 2g 1%
Dietary Fiber 0g 0%
Sugars 0g
Protein 35g 70%

Turkey Burger Ingredients

Maybe the best part of Costco’s turkey burger patties is the simplicity of the ingredients:

Ingredients listed on the back of the package:

• White Turkey,
• Kosher Salt,
• Natural Flavor,
• Black Pepper

It doesn’t get any simpler and natural than that!  Well, I guess we could do without any added salt, but this is about the best I’ve seen.

[1] Dept. of Nutrition, Harvard School of Public Health, 665 Huntington Ave, Boston, MA 02115, USA., http://www.jacn.org/cgi/content/full/23/5/373
Wild Turkey Photo above: http://www.flickr.com/photos/rickh710/ / CC BY 2.0

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We’ll be sharing more paleolithic recipes going forward to demonstrate how easy it is to eat paleolithic foods.  Who knows, maybe we’ll compile a paleolithic cookbook!  Until then here are some zesty paleo recipes:  Paleo Eating for Modern People – Cookbook

Scrumptious Baked Banana Dessert

Just because you are taking on more paleo eating habits doesn’t mean you don’t get to eat dessert anymore!  This is one of my favorite desserts and was inspired by seeing a banana dessert at a Thai restaurant one night.  I eat this a few times per week.  It calls for bit of honey which you can eliminate if you are trying to lose weight.

Why cook a banana?  You’re right if you’re worried about losing nutrients, but cooking a banana enhances its aroma, sweetness, and texture.

Ingredients:

• 1 fairly ripened banana
• 1/2 ounce of crumbled walnut
• 1/2 Teaspoon of honey

How to cook quickly:

1. Peel the banana and place on a microwave-safe glass plate and microwave for 60 seconds (just like any caveman would do).
2. Remove from the microwave and crumble the walnuts over the top of the banana.
3. Add just a few drops of honey over the top.
4. Enjoy!

How to cook for better taste:

1. Bake the banana without peeling it at 350 degrees for 15-30 minutes (until the peels are black) or even better, over an open fire.
2. Peel the banana and place it on a glass plate.
3. Crumble the walnuts over the top of the banana.
4. Add just a few drops of honey over the top.
5. Place under a broiler for a few minutes to lightly brown the bananas and nuts.
6. Enjoy!

I’ve tried other types of nuts, which taste great, but none of them have the great Omega 6 to Omega 3 ratio that walnuts have.

This contains relatively no protein, so be sure you have a good amount of protein for dinner first…and look forward to more Paleolithic Recipe examples!

Bananas, Honey, Paleolithic Recipes, Walnuts Hide