It is so important for you to become an educated consumer.  By educated consumer, I mean, you are familiar with reading food labels, nutrition facts, ingredients, etc.  It means you pay attention to serving sizes, ingredients, protein, carbohydrate, sodium, and fat content.

Most people think that it is a hassle, but if you invest one shopping day into reading the nutrition facts on the products you consume, you don’t have to do it again.  I take people on “Supermarket Tours”.  It takes us about an hour and a half.  That is all the time they invest into being an educated consumer.  I take them through every aisle in the supermarket teaching them how to read food labels, as well as what products to consume, and which ones to stay away from.  After this, it becomes easy……all they have to do is take a couple of seconds to check out the nutrition facts on a new product.

I want to use TURKEY as an example, today!  I am going to use Jennie-O products as an example.  Do you ever take the time to look at the nutrition label on the turkey you are buying?  Or do you just assume, turkey is lean, and full of protein, so what the heck no need to check it out  Well, if you haven’t been checking it out, you might be shocked right now.

Did you know that there are 3 different kinds of ground turkey for this brand?  Oh yes my friend!  There is ground turkey, lean ground turkey, and extra lean ground turkey.  Are you ready for the nutrition facts?

~ 4 oz Ground turkey:  20g protein, 17 g fat
~ 4 oz Lean ground turkey:  23g protein, 8 g fat, this is 9 less grams of fat, and 3 more grams of protein than the above.
~ 4 oz Extra lean ground turkey:  26g protein, 1 gram of fat, this is 19 less grams of fat and 6 more grams of protein than the ground turkey.  It is also, 7 less grams of fat, and 3 more grams of protein than the lean ground turkey.

Can you believe this?  And you are probably grabbing the first thing you see!  Take some time, my friend, and read the nutrition fact.  It doesn’t take a genius to figure out that the extra lean ground turkey is much better.  Yet some people are eating their delicious turkey burgers on whole-wheat buns with a whopping 17 GRAMS OF FAT!  YUKKKKK!

Here is a little bonus for you!  If you are eating ground chicken thinking you are being SUPER HEALTHY!  THINK AGAIN!  Have you read the nutrition facts?  Here are the fact:

~ 4 oz Ground chicken:  20g protein, 14g fat.

Oh yeah, you read it right, 14 grams of FAT!  So if you are making a recipe that utilizes some sort of ground meat, go for the extra lean turkey.

Here is a great ground turkey recipe for you, enjoy!

Healthy Recipe for Veggie Burgers

Ingredients:
1 to 1.5 pounds extra lean ground turkey breast
6  baby portobellos stems removed and finely chopped
1/2 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1/2 yellow onion, finely chopped
1 tsp minced garlic
3 1/2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1/3 cup grated low sodium parmesan cheese
Handful flat-leaf parsley, chopped
4 large portobello mushroom caps, stems removed
Coarse salt and black pepper
2 cups arugula leaves, coarsely chopped
handful of fat-free shredded mozzarella
Sliced red onion and sliced plum tomatoes
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.

Instructions:
Combine turkey with salt and pepper, chopped crimini mushrooms, chopped bell pepper, chopped onion, garlic, tomato paste, Worcestershire, cheese and parsley. Score and form turkey into 4 large patties, 1 inch thick. Spray non-stick cooking spray on a skillet and cook the patties for 5-6 minutes on each side.
Place portobello caps on a small baking sheet gill side up.  Roast the caps 12 minutes. Remove them from the oven and season them with salt and pepper. Turn oven off. Top each cap with about 1/2 cup arugula and a burger. Cap burger with mozzarella and place back in still-warm oven. Melt the cheese 1 minute. Transfer burgers on " Portobello bun". Top with onions and tomatoes and serve.

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