Turkey sausage has become a go-to breakfast staple for its lean protein content and lower fat compared to pork sausage But with conflicting nutrition advice floating around, it can be confusing to know if turkey sausage is truly a healthier alternative. Let’s dig into the details and uncover the real pros and cons of this popular protein
Why Turkey Sausage Has Gained Popularity
Over the past decade turkey sausage patties and links have steadily replaced traditional pork breakfast sausage on many plates. There are several driving factors behind this shift
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Increased consumer focus on making healthier choices
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Desire for high protein foods to promote weight loss
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Growing awareness of risks of excessive red meat intake
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Preference for poultry’s milder flavor
Turkey is seen as a lower fat and lower calorie substitute for pork and beef. With obesity rates rising, many are swapping out higher fat meats for options like turkey sausage perceived as “better for you.”
Nutritional Profile of Turkey Sausage
To assess just how healthy turkey sausage truly is, let’s compare its basic nutritional information to pork sausage:
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Calories – Turkey has around 70 fewer calories per serving compared to pork sausage. A 2-link pork sausage serving contains 150 calories versus 80 calories for turkey.
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Fat – There’s a sizable difference in total fat content. Pork sausage contains 13g fat per serving compared to 5g in turkey sausage.
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Saturated Fat – The saturated fat in pork sausage (4.5g) is nearly double that of turkey sausage (2.5g).
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Sodium – Roughly equal at 390mg (pork) and 380mg (turkey).
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Protein – Turkey sausage contains around 11g protein per serving.
So turkey sausage emerges as the clear winner nutritionally with fewer calories, less total fat, and less harmful saturated fat. It provides nearly the same protein punch as pork.
Benefits of Turkey Sausage’s Nutrition Profile
The nutrition numbers tell us turkey sausage has some compelling advantages over pork sausage:
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Lower calorie count – With 70 fewer calories per serving, turkey sausage prevents excess calorie intake. This supports weight management and fat loss.
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Less saturated fat – Decreased saturated fats protect heart health and regulate cholesterol levels. High intake is tied to heart disease.
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High protein – With 11g per serving, turkey sausage promotes satiety, curbs hunger, maintains lean muscle mass, and aids post-workout recovery.
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Neutral flavor – The milder turkey taste makes it versatile for pairing with many foods and recipes.
So turkey sausage’s stellar nutritional profile translates to concrete benefits for health, fitness, weight loss, and cooking versatility.
The Potential Pitfalls of Turkey Sausage
However, turkey sausage isn’t a perfect food. There are some potential downsides to keep in mind:
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High sodium – Turkey sausage contains 300-500mg sodium per serving. Too much dietary sodium raises blood pressure and heart disease risk.
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Heavily processed – Highly processed meats may contain preservatives like nitrites that are tied to increased cancer risk when consumed in excess.
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Added sugars – Flavored turkey sausages often contain added sugars for sweetness that drive up carb content. Read labels carefully.
While turkey sausage wins on macros, the high sodium and processing are marks against it in some ways. Moderating portion sizes is key.
Tips for Choosing Healthier Turkey Sausage
Follow these tips to select the most nutritious turkey sausage options:
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Seek out no-nitrate or preservative-free varieties
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Choose sausages with the fewest ingredients like turkey, water, and spices
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Avoid added sugars by picking plain over sweetened flavors
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Compare sodium contents and choose lower salt options
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Look for higher protein to fat ratios for maximum nutrition
With careful selection, you can maximize the benefits of turkey sausage while limiting health downsides.
Creating a Balanced Meal
To make the most of turkey sausage’s nutritional attributes, pair it with nutritious foods:
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Add plenty of veggies like peppers, onions, mushrooms, tomatoes
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Include a whole grain like whole wheat toast or avocado
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Incorporate healthy fats from foods like olive oil, nuts, or seeds
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Drink water instead of sugary juices or sodas
Building your plate this way allows you to benefit from turkey sausage’s protein while obtaining other essential vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.
The Verdict on Turkey Sausage
When it comes to nutrition and health impacts, turkey sausage generally emerges as superior to pork sausage. Its stellar protein content and lower calorie, fat, and saturated fat levels make it the smarter choice.
However, the sodium and processing aspects require caution and moderation. Overall, turkey sausage in sensible amounts can be part of a balanced, healthy diet when paired with nutritious foods and as an occasional substitute for higher fat meats. Its nutrition numbers don’t lie – turkey sausage has earned its place as a healthier, leaner protein.
Nutritional Benefits of Turkey Sausages
Highlighted below are some key nutritional benefits of turkey sausages:
- Turkey sausages are a good source of lean protein, with 13 grams of protein per 100 grams. One sausage has only 112 calories and 6 grams of protein.
- Low in calories: As you can see from the comparison section above, turkey sausages have half as many calories as regular sausages. This makes them a good choice for losing weight and getting enough lean protein.
- Lower amount of saturated fat: Turkey sausages don’t have a lot of saturated fat. With approximately 2. 23 grams per 100 grams, which is a lot more than the 13 grams that are usually in pork sausages (6, 8). High levels of sautéed fat can cause higher levels of LDL-C (low density lipoprotein cholesterol), which is known to raise the risk of heart disease (9, 10). Not only that, but turkey sausages have less saturated fat than plant-based sausages like Beyond Sausage.
- Provides micronutrients: Turkey sausages have a lot of B vitamins, especially niacin and vitamin B12. They are also a great source of zinc—just one serving gives you about 20% of your daily value (6,207).
- Turkey sausages are a versatile ingredient that work well in a wide range of recipes. It’s possible to grill, stir-fry, pan-fry, roast, put them on pizza, add them to pasta and rice dishes, make soups and stews, and more.
Despite their nutritional merits, turkey sausages present several potential downsides.
The most notable of these are listed below:
- High sodium content: There are turkey sausages with “lower sodium” content, but most of them still have a lot of salt in them. One sausage, for example, has 379 mg of sodium, which is equal to 16 5% of the recommended daily value (6, 7). This means that people on a low-sodium diet might not be able to eat them.
- Some people say that turkey sausages don’t taste as good or be as juicy as regular pork sausages. This contrast primarily stems from their significantly lower fat content.
- Could have allergens: Turkey sausages could sometimes have allergens in their ingredients (11). Because of this, some brands might have gluten-containing ingredients like seasoning mixes that contain wheat products. People who are allergic to or sensitive to gluten should carefully read the ingredient label to see the full list of ingredients.
- May have nitrates or nitrites: turkey sausages, like many processed meats, can have sodium nitrate and/or sodium nitrite in them. These ingredients function as preservatives to prevent bacterial growth. They may, however, also cause the creation of nitrosamines, which are chemicals that may cause cancer (12, 13, 14). If you want to limit nitrates and nitrites, check the label to make sure that these preservatives aren’t there. Researchers have found that eating vitamin C and bioactive parts of plant foods may help stop the formation of nitrosamines when eaten with nitrate or nitrite (15, 16).
How Do Turkey Sausages Compare To Traditional Pork Sausages?
Compared to traditional pork sausages, turkey sausages have notable nutritional differences.
Given turkey’s lower fat content in comparison to pork, turkey sausages naturally contain fewer grams of fat. As a result, this translates to a reduced calorie count and proportionately higher protein content.
The following table elucidates the basic nutritional makeup of these two sausage varieties per 100 grams (6, 8):
| Name | Turkey sausages | Pork sausages |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 196 kcal | 396 kcal |
| Carbohydrates | 0 g | 2.7 g |
| Fiber | 0 g | 0 g |
| Sugars | 0 g | 0 g |
| Fat | 10.4 g | 36.2 g |
| Saturated | 2.27 g | 13.0 g |
| Monounsaturated | 2.99 g | 17.2 g |
| Polyunsaturated | 2.71 g | 3.9 g |
| Omega-3 | 0.17 g | 0.32 g |
| Omega-6 | 2.38 g | 3.46 g |
| Protein | 23.9 g | 13.8 g |
| Cholesterol | 92 mg | 71 mg |
| Sodium | 665 mg | 929 mg |
The table shows that turkey sausages have a lot more protein, about half as many calories, and a lot less fat than regular sausages.
For more comparisons between different types of sausages, including low-sodium options, refer to this comprehensive guide:
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