By Sue Bedford (MSc Nut Th)
Did you know how nutritious turkey is?
As you enjoy your Christmas lunch, you may be left with even more turkey to keep you going for the next day or two! We turned to nutritionist, Sue Bedford, to talk us through why turkey is a great food to eat, its benefits and a fantastic recipe to try too!
Turkey is great nutritionally
It’s low in saturated fat and provides a good amount of B vitamins, protein, zinc and selenium. It also contains Tryptophan which is an amino acid that cannot be made by the body, but is a natural precursor to serotonin (known as the happy chemical) – an important chemical and neurotransmitter in the body.
Serotonin is used to transmit messages between nerve cells and it is thought to contribute to wellbeing and happiness, among other things. As the precursor for melatonin, it helps regulate the body’s sleep-wake cycles and the internal body-clock.
In these current difficult times, turkey is a great food to eat. I will be sharing more recipes using this fantastic food and others and here’s one to try!
Turkey, avocado and pomegranate salad
2 British turkey breasts
2 tablespoons miso paste
1 tablespoon honey
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
3 tablespoons olive oil
Sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
50g of kale
1 tbsp of coconut oil
30g of toasted flaked almonds
1/2 pomegranate
1 avocado
2 tbsp of freshly chopped mint
How to make
Add the honey, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, miso paste, apple cider vinegar and lemon juice to a medium bowl and whisk to combine.
Season with a little salt and pepper. Finely chop the kale and place in a large bowl, and drizzle over ¾ of the dressing made above and mix. Heat 1 tbsp of olive oil in a large pan and cook the turkey for a round 5 minutes on both sides.
Leave on the side to cool. Slice the avocado and mix with the kale. Remove the pomegranate seeds and sprinkle into the salad.
Shred the turkey and mix in with the salad, sprinkle the flaked almonds over the top along with the freshly chopped mint.
Enjoy!
