How much protein in 4oz ground turkey? As a certified nutrition specialist I speak with clients frequently about hitting daily protein targets. Ground turkey is a great lean protein addition to any balanced diet. While ground turkey is an excellent lean option compared to ground beef, not all ground turkey is created equal. In this post I’ll cover a few different options of ground turkey and how much protein is in 4oz ground turkey.
Please note this blog is for general informational purposes and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Please consult the advice of a physician prior to starting in new eating regime. It may also contain affiliate links in which I receive a small commission.
Table of contents
HOW MUCH PROTEIN IN 4oz GROUND TURKEY
Here is my short answer to that probing question. The protein content in 4 ounces (about 113 grams) of ground turkey can vary depending on the specific type of ground turkey and its lean-to-fat ratio.
On average, lean ground turkey (93% lean, 7% fat) provides approximately 22-24 grams of protein per 4-ounce serving. However, if you’re using ground turkey with a higher fat content, the protein content may be slightly lower
Poultry products like ground turkey can be made from white or dark meat and generally has two or three different options. Lean ground turkey can either be purchased in 85% lean/15% fat or 93% lean/7% fat options. The difference between these nutrition facts primarily lies in the grams of fat content between the two. There is a third option this is widely available which is a 99% lean ground turkey option.
85% LEAN GROUND TURKEY
When you look at the nutrition label of ground turkey that is 85% lean that means there is 15% fat per serving. So, how much protein in 4oz ground turkey? This is how the nutrition breaks down for this lean meat:
- 150 calories per 4oz grams of turkey per serving
- 17 g fat
- 19 g protein
- 0 g carbs
Depending on what type of diet you are following, you can easily reach your daily fat grams target if you are eating this lean meat for two or more meals.
93% LEAN GROUND TURKEY
This means that the ground turkey is made up of 93% lean meat and 7% fat. It is a leaner option with less fat content, making it suitable for those who are looking for a lower-fat protein source. When looking at 93% lean ground turkey the nutrition label reads a bit differently.
- 160 calories per 4oz grams of turkey per serving
- 8 g fat
- 20 g protein
- 0 g carbs
You can clearly see that while the protein macro is generally the same there is a huge difference in the amount of fat per serving.
99% LEAN GROUND TURKEY
Lastly lets look at a super lean ground turkey option typically made from all white meat. This is the 99% extra lean ground turkey option you can find in most grocery stores. The nutrition label for this reads:
- 110 calories per 4oz grams of turkey per serving
- 1 g fat
- 26 g protein
- 0 g carbs
You can clearly see that by choosing this extra lean meat you can shave even more calories from fat while increasing the amount of protein per serving.
So how much protein in 4oz of ground turkey? Again, the answer will greatly depend on which of these popular meats you purchase. Ultimately, choosing the right ground turkey is going to come down to personal and taste preferences and if you are following a calorie diet or a macro based diet. Also you will need to read the actual nutrition label for each brand as the nutritional values may vary slightly from brand to brand.
MACRO TRACKING RECOMMENDATIONS
If you are trying to start any weight loss effort, I highly recommend keeping either a food diary or tracking your macros via a macro tracking app. The best macro tracking app (in my opinion) is MyFitnessPal as it has simple food diary elements like calorie intake as well as advanced features like water intake and sleep tracking as well. One of the best features is that you can scan nutrition labels and it will auto populate the nutrition information. You can also choose to see your macro targets via macronutrients graph as well as broken down in daily segments.
RECIPES WITH GROUND TURKEY
If you’re looking for a healthy spin on some traditional ground beef recipes, here are a few of my favorite recipes that substitutes ground turkey:
- Turkey Burger Sliders
- Easy Cheesy Turkey Taco Skillet Bake
- Healthy Firecracker Meatballs
- Ground Turkey Pasta
- Healthy Skillet Lasagna
If you need some inspiration on what to do with leftover turkey taco meat, this blog post has 5 recipes that are great to repurpose leftovers!
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