Is Smoked Turkey Healthy? Here's What You Should Know | Livestrong.com (2024)

FAQs

Is eating smoked turkey healthy? ›

Smoked meat is the perfect choice for a healthy snack as it's high in lean protein while low in fat and carbs. These meats are packed with good lean protein, smoky flavor, moisture, but have a fraction of the fat.

Processed meats can include ham, sausage, bacon, deli meats (such as bologna, smoked turkey and salami), hot dogs, jerky, pepperoni and even sauces made with those products. When meat is processed, it is transformed through curing, fermenting, smoking or salting in order to boost flavor and shelf life.

Smoked meats can be high in phosphorus and potassium, which can severely impact those with kidney disease. Finally, the potential carcinogenic compounds formed during the smoking process can cause complications for individuals with a history of cancer or those at high risk of developing cancer.

To summarize, turkey meat has low total lipid, cholesterol, and polyunsaturated fatty acid levels, making it a desirable option for diets aiming at lowering blood cholesterol levels.

Butterball Smoked Whole Turkeys are fully cooked and ready to eat. They can be used in recipes calling for cooked turkey without prior heating. The pink color of the meat comes from smoking and curing and is not a sign of undercooked meat.

Overall, turkey is recommended over ham for nutrition. However, this is based on sodium content. Ham is very high in sodium, but it is rich in zinc, potassium, and iron. Ham has been used for generations to add salt and flavor to other dishes.

As part of the Boar's Head All Natural* Collection, the turkey used is humanely raised** with no added hormones or antibioticsꝉ, and there are no added nitrites or nitrates‡. *No artificial ingredients, minimally processed.

Sodium. A 2-ounce serving of smoked turkey has about 510 milligrams of sodium, which is 22 percent of the recommended daily value (DV). Too much sodium in the diet has been linked to high blood pressure, water retention and a higher risk of heart disease.

Eating too much bacon, sausages, hot dogs, canned meat, or lunch meat—meat that has been processed in some way to preserve or flavor it—is bad for health, according to experts. A number of studies have found links between processed meat and various forms of cancer, as well as heart disease and diabetes.

The grilling and smoking processes that give meats that charred appearance and smoky flavor generate some potentially cancer-causing compounds in the food. Charred, blackened areas of the meat – particularly well-done cuts - contain heterocyclic aromatic amines.

How often should I eat smoked meat? ›

How much is safe to eat? “Currently, there are no federal guidelines addressing the amount of foods that contain PAHs and HCAs that is thought to be safe,” Culbertson says. In general, though, the American Cancer Society recommends consuming red and processed meats rarely, if at all.

Cold-smoked meats tend to have higher levels of certain carcinogens, while other types of carcinogens can be more prevalent in hot-smoked meats.

Processed turkey products can be high in sodium and harmful to health. Many processed meats are smoked or made with sodium nitrites. These combine with amines that are naturally present in the meat and form N-nitroso compounds, which are known carcinogens.

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“Also, if meat is smoked, and the fatty juices drip and the smoke encases the meat, that will form carcinogens.” The two types of carcinogens are heterocyclic amines – related to pan-searing – and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, which come from smoke. Grilling or barbequing will create both these carcinogens.

While meat can be a part of a healthy diet, not all sources are created equal. The leanest and healthiest meats to eat include poultry, pork, fish, and seafood. Eating a balanced diet is one of the keys to a healthy lifestyle, which means choosing various foods from different food groups, like proteins.

Smoking is a flavorful way to serve a Thanksgiving turkey, and it frees up your oven for pies and side dishes. Though it requires a bit of preparation beforehand, the end result of juicy meat, smoky flavor, and deeply burnished skin is worth the effort.

Smoking a turkey can result in great flavor, but it usually has limp skin. Frying a turkey can have the most amazing crispy skin, but not much going on in the flavor department.

Turkey jerky is a healthy snack. This is a food that is high in protein and low in fat and calories. That is one of the reasons turkey jerky has become so popular in recent years. This is a snack that you can choose simply because it tastes delicious.