How Many Calories are in Ground Turkey? A Detailed Look

Ground turkey is a lean and versatile protein option that can be a nutritious addition to a healthy diet But when watching your calorie intake, it’s important to understand how many calories are actually in ground turkey In this article, we’ll take a detailed look at the calorie and nutrition facts for different types of ground turkey.

An Overview of Ground Turkey Nutrition

Ground turkey is made from ground dark and/or white turkey meat and often has some skin and fat mixed in as well. The exact nutrition facts can vary depending on a few factors:

• Fat percentage – Ground turkey can range from lean (7% fat or less) to extra lean (4% fat or less) to regular (up to 15% fat). The more fat the more calories.

• Meat type – Using only breast meat results in lower calories and fat than ground turkey made with dark meat and skin.

• Added ingredients – Some prepackaged ground turkey may have seasoning, broth or other ingredients that can affect the calorie count.

• Cooking method – Frying ground turkey adds more calories from fat and oil than other cooking methods like baking or grilling.

In general though ground turkey is a lean protein that is significantly lower in saturated fat and calories compared to ground beef. It’s a healthier substitute in recipes like chili, tacos, burgers meatloaf and more.

Total Calories in Ground Turkey per Serving

The most common serving size for ground turkey is a 4 ounce cooked portion, which provides about:

• 160 calories in 93% lean ground turkey
• 170 calories in 85% lean ground turkey
• 180 calories in 80% lean ground turkey
• 200+ calories in 70% lean ground turkey

So in a 4 ounce serving, you can see there is a difference of about 40 calories depending on fat percentage. Choosing leaner meat packs more protein, less fat, and fewer calories per serving.

For comparison, a typical 4 ounce serving of 80% lean ground beef contains around 240 calories. So even 85% lean ground turkey contains at least 60 fewer calories than ground beef per serving.

Calorie Breakdown for Ground Turkey

In a 4 ounce serving of 85% lean ground turkey, here is the typical calorie breakdown:

• 72 calories from fat (about 42% of calories)
• 0 calories from carbs
• 98 calories from protein (about 58% of calories)

As you can see, over half the calories come from protein in lean ground turkey. The rest comes from fat, with minimal carbohydrates.

Choosing 93% lean ground turkey instead shifts the ratio even more, with about 34% of calories from fat and 66% of calories from protein.

Calorie Count in Other Common Ground Turkey Serving Sizes

Here are some other common serving sizes for ground turkey and how many calories they contain:

• 1 ounce raw: about 50 calories in 85% lean, 45 calories in 93% lean
• 3 ounces cooked: around 127 calories in 85% lean, 120 calories in 93% lean
• 6 ounces cooked (typical burger patty): approximately 255 calories in 85% lean, 240 calories in 93% lean
• 8 ounces cooked (1 cup): around 340 calories in 85% lean, 320 calories in 93% lean
• 16 ounces cooked (1 pound): around 680 calories in 85% lean, 640 calories in 93% lean

As you go up in serving size, the calorie differences between lean options and higher fat options become more pronounced. Choosing lean ground turkey has a bigger impact over a full meal than in just one burger or taco.

Ways to Reduce Calories in Ground Turkey Dishes

Here are some tips for reducing calories when cooking with ground turkey:

• Choose 93% lean or leaner meat whenever possible. Every bit of fat trimmed saves calories.

• Measure carefully to stay within suggested serving sizes. It’s easy to overeat higher calorie meats.

• Avoid frying and instead grill, bake or sauté in broth or water instead of oil.

• Mix in diced veggies like mushrooms, onions, peppers or zucchini to bulk up dishes with extra fiber.

• Skip high calorie additions like fatty cheese, mayo or sour cream as condiments and toppings.

• Use lower calorie substitutions like mashed beans or Greek yogurt instead of sour cream.

• Flavor with herbs, spices, mustard, salsa and other zero calorie ways instead of fatty sauces.

Ground Turkey Nutrition Facts Summary

When paying attention to fat percentage and portion sizes, ground turkey can be an excellent source of lean protein as part of a healthy low calorie diet. 4 ounces of 85% lean ground turkey contains around 170 calories, while 93% lean has only 160 calories.

Compared to beef, even higher fat turkey is significantly lower in saturated fat and calories. So ground turkey makes a great substitute in many recipes to cut calories without losing flavor and satisfaction.

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Poultry food products, ground turkey, cooked, 1 unit, yield from 1 lb raw