Is Ground Turkey Keto? A Detailed Look at Using This Versatile Lean Meat on a Low-Carb Diet
Ground turkey has become an increasingly popular protein source in recent years. It’s lean, affordable, easy to cook with, and less processed than beef.
But if you’re following a ketogenic diet, you may be wondering – is ground turkey keto-friendly? Can it fit into your low-carb, high-fat lifestyle?
In this comprehensive guide, we’ll take a close look at ground turkey and its relevance for keto. You’ll learn:
- What makes a food keto vs non-keto
- Ground turkey nutrition facts and macros
- How to choose the right type of ground turkey
- Delicious recipes for cooking ground turkey on keto
- How it compares to other keto protein sources
By the end, you’ll know whether ground turkey can be part of a well-formulated ketogenic diet.
What Makes a Food Keto-Friendly?
The ketogenic diet is centered around getting your body into a metabolic state called ketosis. This is when your body switches from using carbs for energy to burning stored body fat and ketones instead.
To achieve this, the keto diet calls for:
- Keeping net carbs very low, usually under 50 grams per day
- Eating enough protein, but not excessively high amounts
- Consuming high amounts of healthy fats like olive oil, avocados, nuts, etc.
So when considering whether a food is keto, you have to look at its macro nutrient profile – how many net carbs, how much protein, and how much fat it contains per serving.
Foods that are very low in carbs, moderate in protein, and higher in healthy fats tend to be keto-friendly Foods that are high in carbs are not keto-approved
Looking at Ground Turkey’s Macros
Now let’s take a look at the nutrition facts on ground turkey to see how it lines up:
For a 4 oz serving of 85% lean ground turkey (thigh meat):
- Calories: 179
- Fat: 8g
- Carbs: 0g
- Protein: 24g
As you can see, ground turkey contains zero carbs, a good amount of protein, and relatively lower fat compared to fattier cuts of meat.
This macro nutrient profile means ground turkey can fit perfectly into a keto eating plan. It provides lean protein without boosting carbs or calories too much.
Choosing the Right Type of Ground Turkey
Keep in mind that nutrition info can vary depending on the leanness and ingredients in different types of ground turkey.
Here are some tips for picking the best keto-friendly ground turkey:
- Go for 85-93% lean to balance fat and protein intake
- Avoid 99% fat-free turkey, as it can be overly dry without fat
- Watch out for pre-brined turkey with sugary flavorings
- Opt for thigh meat instead of breast meat for more moisture
- Check labels and avoid turkey with fillers and additives
By choosing plain ground turkey that’s 85-93% lean, preferably from the thigh, you get the most keto-friendly option.
Delicious Ways to Cook Ground Turkey on Keto
One of the great things about ground turkey is how versatile it is. You can swap it into many classic recipes:
- Turkey lettuce wrap tacos
- Zucchini turkey boats
- Turkey mushroom soup
- Meatloaf or meatballs
- Turkey veggie skillet
- Chili or bolognese sauce
- Stuffed peppers or mushrooms
When cooking with ground turkey on keto, be sure to add healthy fats like olive oil, avocado oil, butter, or coconut oil. This helps prevent dryness and bland flavor.
Spices, herbs, garlic, onions, cheese, and low-carb sauces like pesto or tomato sauce also pump up the flavor.
How Ground Turkey Compares to Other Keto Protein Sources
Here’s a quick look at how ground turkey stacks up against other typical keto protein foods:
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Beef: Higher in fat than turkey, so eat in moderation. More calories but great flavor.
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Chicken: Very versatile like turkey but lower in calories/fat. Can be drier than fattier meats.
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Pork: Watch sugar content in sausages/bacon. Fattier cuts like pork belly are keto-approved.
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Fish: Lower calorie, excellent omega fats. Easy to overcook so be careful.
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Eggs: Super keto friendly but eating daily egg meals can get boring.
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Tofu: Provides non-meat protein but carb counts can add up quickly.
As you can see, poultry like turkey and chicken make excellent keto protein sources. Combining them with fattier cuts of meat, fish, eggs, and low-carb vegetarian proteins is ideal for variety.
The Verdict: Ground Turkey is a Keto All-Star
Based on its zero carb macro profile, versatile usage, and lean protein content, ground turkey is an excellent keto-friendly food. Choosing 85-93% lean ground thigh turkey and preparing it with healthy fats, veggies, and spices allows you to enjoy its health benefits on a ketogenic diet.
Ground turkey works great in many dishes from easy weeknight dinners like turkey veggie skillet to meal prepped lunches like turkey zucchini boats. It provides a leaner alternative to fatty meats while still offering satisfying protein.
So go ahead and enjoy ground turkey as part of your balanced low-carb, high-fat keto diet. Just be mindful of your protein portions and balance it out with plenty of healthy fats.
HOW MUCH TURKEY DO I NEED?ADULTSKIDS LEFTOVERS BIG EATERS
What is the Keto Diet? Jennie-O’s Guide to Cutting Carbs and Cutting Weight.
The keto diet— a high-fat, low-carb eating plan—is everywhere. Maybe you’ve heard people talking about it at the gym. Maybe your neighbor is trying it out. People all over the world are trying the keto lifestyle and losing weight quickly by cutting carbs in a big way. It doesn’t matter how you heard about it.
(If you know what you’re doing and want great keto diet recipes, check out our great list of keto diet menus and recipes. ).
What is the Keto Diet?
The ketogenic diet is a low-carb, high-fat way of eating that involves eating the same amount of fat instead of carbs. This may be counterintuitive to most fad diets you’ve heard about. But the keto diet is based on the idea that the body can reach a metabolic state called ketosis.
When your body reaches ketosis, your body has become more efficient at burning fat for energy. It will also begin turning fat into ketones in the liver, which supply energy for the brain. A ketogenic diet can be the catalyst to massive reductions in insulin and blood sugar levels.
Foods to Eat
Carbohydrates can be hard to quit, as they are in just about everything. But, that doesn’t mean you have to deprive yourself of great tasting food.
For those who want to try the keto diet, these main foods are high in fat and low in carbs and are a great place to start:
- Meat: Steak, ham, sausage, bacon, turkey, and chicken.
- Cheddar, cream cheese, goat cheese, mozzarella, blue cheese, or cheddar cheese (always raw).
- Low-carb vegetables: most green vegetables, tomatoes, peppers, and onions
- Fatty fish: Salmon, tuna, mackerel, and trout.
- You can still use salt, pepper, and other herbs and spices as condiments.
- Eggs: Look for pastured whole eggs or omega-3 eggs from hens that are not caged and are free to roam.
- When buying butter and cream, always choose dairy from cows that were fed grass.
- Avocados: Whole avocados.
- Nuts and seeds: Walnuts, flax seed.
- Extra virgin olive oil, coconut oil, and avocado oil are all good for you.
Foods to Avoid
Now that you know what you should eat, let’s talk about what you shouldn’t eat to stay in ketosis.
- Fruit juice, smoothies, candy, cake, ice cream, and soda are all high in sugar.
- Grains or starches: Many foods made from wheat, like pasta, rice, cereal, and more
- Alcohol: A lot of alcoholic drinks have a lot of carbs, which can take your body out of ketosis.
- Beans, also called legumes, like kidney beans, peas, chickpeas, lentils, and other beans are high in protein but also high in carbs.
- People eat a lot of potatoes, sweet potatoes, parsnips, and carrots because they are root vegetables and tubers.
- Fruit: It’s shocking, but on the keto diet, you should avoid almost all fruit except for small amounts of berries.
- Low-fat foods: Diet foods that are highly processed tend to have a lot of carbs to make up for the lack of calories they contain.
- Sugar-free diet food: These are more processed foods that don’t have sugar but do have a lot of sugar alcohols, which can change your body’s ketone levels.
- Some sauces and condiments: Read the labels of your favorite sauces and condiments. An increasing number of herbs and spices are keto-friendly, but some sauces may contain a lot of carbs.
- Unhealthy fats: Mayonnaise and other foods made with processed vegetable oils can throw off your ketosis.
If you want to see results from a ketogenic lifestyle, you will need to stay away from carb-based foods like sugars, grains, potatoes, candy, juice, and even most fruits.
Visit our site for a lot of great keto diet menus and recipes. Start making changes today to become healthier and happier. Previous How Tos.
Keto/ Low Carb Turkey and Cabbage Stir Fry! Quick, East & Delicious
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