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Turkey breast

Meleagris gallopavo

Also known as Turkey fillet, Skinless turkey breast

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The white pectoral muscle of the domestic turkey, leaner and larger-grained than chicken breast. Fresh roasting joints and reformed deli slices are very different products despite sharing the name.

Weight ManagementMuscle & Physical PerformanceSleep

Potential health benefits

Best supported: Limited

Ordered by how well the human research supports them — strongest first. A rating describes the state of the evidence, not how impressive the food is. How we rate evidence.

Satiety and appetite

Weight Management
Limited evidence

Some trials report higher fullness ratings after lean high-protein meals than after matched lower-protein meals. The effect is attributed to protein content generally rather than to turkey as such.

Limited evidence. Early human work, or mostly lab and animal research.

1 source

Deep research mode adds each paper’s own conclusion and stated limitations.

Muscle protein synthesis

Muscle & Physical Performance
Insufficient evidence

May support muscle protein synthesis as a lean complete-protein source. Trials of high-quality animal protein alongside resistance training report gains in lean mass, though turkey specifically is studied less often than beef, dairy or egg.

Insufficient evidence. Not enough human research to say anything useful yet.

No source is attached to this association yet, so it is rated insufficient by default. It is listed because people commonly ask about it — not because there is evidence for it.

Sleep quality

Sleep
Insufficient evidence

Evidence is limited for turkey affecting sleep. The familiar claim rests on its tryptophan content, but turkey is not unusually high in tryptophan among meats, and dietary protein supplies competing amino acids that limit how much reaches the brain.

What may be going on: Tryptophan competes with other large neutral amino acids for the same blood-brain barrier transporter, so a protein-rich meal does not raise brain tryptophan in the way the folk explanation assumes.

Insufficient evidence. Not enough human research to say anything useful yet.

2 sources

Deep research mode adds each paper’s own conclusion and stated limitations.

Ask about Turkey breast

Ask about Turkey breast

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AI explanations are not switched on for this site, so there is nothing to ask here. Everything above is read straight from the database and does not need them.

Key nutrients

Nutrient content per 100 grams
NutrientAmount% DV
Macronutrients
Calories114 kcal6%
Protein23.7 g47%
Total fat1.48 g2%
Carbohydrate0.14 g0%
Fibre0 g0%
Total sugars0.05 g—
Water74.9 g—
Fats
Saturated fat0.289 g1%
Monounsaturated fat0.264 g—
Polyunsaturated fat0.258 g—
Cholesterol57 mg19%
ALA (omega-3)0.0090 g—
EPA (omega-3)0 g—
DHA (omega-3)0.0020 g—
DPA (omega-3)0.0030 g—
Linoleic acid (omega-6)0.2 g—
Vitamins
Vitamin A6 µg1%
Vitamin C0 mg0%
Vitamin D0.1 µg1%
Vitamin E0.06 mg0%
Vitamin K0 µg0%
Thiamin (B1)0.042 mg4%
Riboflavin (B2)0.145 mg11%
Niacin (B3)9.92 mg62%
Pantothenic acid (B5)0.775 mg16%
Vitamin B60.813 mg48%
Folate7 µg2%
Vitamin B120.63 µg26%
Choline61.3 mg11%
Minerals
Calcium11 mg1%
Iron0.73 mg4%
Magnesium28 mg7%
Phosphorus201 mg16%
Potassium242 mg5%
Sodium113 mg5%
Zinc1.28 mg12%
Copper0.07 mg8%
Manganese0.011 mg0%
Selenium22.7 µg41%
Other measured compounds
Beta-carotene0 µg—
Alpha-carotene0 µg—
Lycopene0 µg—
Lutein + zeaxanthin0 µg—
Caffeine0 mg—
Ash1.04 g—

Nutrient values are per 100 g of the USDA reference entry named on this page and vary with variety, growing conditions, storage and preparation.

Source record: Turkey, whole, breast, meat only, raw (USDA FoodData Central, FDC ID 171098).

% DV uses the FDA Daily Values for adults and children aged 4 and over. A dash means no Daily Value has been established for that nutrient.

Bioactive compounds

Compounds present in meaningful amounts. Presence is banded rather than quantified, because whole-food levels vary enormously with variety, growing conditions, storage and preparation.

How preparation changes things

Only effects with real support are listed. If a preparation method is missing, it is because nothing dependable is documented — not because it makes no difference.

Nothing dependable is recorded about how preparation changes this food’s nutritional properties. Rather than guess, this section stays empty.

Things to know

Allergies, interactions and intake concerns. Every food gets this section — a reference where everything is uniformly good is not a reference.

  • Too much

    Deli turkey is a processed meat

    Sliced sandwich turkey is typically brined, cured and high in sodium, and falls under the processed meat heading in dietary guidance — a different food from a fresh roasting breast.

  • Worth knowing

    Salmonella in raw poultry

    Raw turkey has been implicated in multi-state Salmonella outbreaks. Cook to a safe internal temperature and avoid cross-contamination when handling a large carcass.

  • Worth knowing

    Listeria risk from deli slices in pregnancy

    Ready-to-eat deli meats including sliced turkey are a documented Listeria vehicle. Pregnancy guidance in several countries advises heating them until steaming before eating.