Which is healthier, white meat or dark meat turkey? Here's the answer and I bet you'll be surprised.
Dark meat gets its dark color from higher levels of myoglobin, a protein which transports and supplies oxygen to working muscles. Because turkey and other types of poultry walk around a lot, their leg meat is darker compared to their breast meat. And thanks to an increased myoglobin level, dark meat contains greater amounts of iron, zinc<http://health.nytimes.com/health/guides/poison/zinc/overview.html?inline=nyt-classifier>, riboflavin<http://health.nytimes.com/health/guides/nutrition/riboflavin/overview.html?inline=nyt-classifier>, and thiamin<http://health.nytimes.com/health/guides/nutrition/thiamine/overview.html?inline=nyt-classifier>. * * It is true that white meat is less caloric than dark meat, but only by about 20 calories: - 3 ounces skinless breast meat = 115 calories, 1 grams fat - 3 ounces skinless dark meat = 135 calories, 3 grams fat Bottom line: choose whichever poultry meat you prefer, light or dark, just be sure to discard the skin.
