Turkey

Overview

Turkey provides amino acids including tryptophan (a serotonin precursor) together with niacin (vitamin B3), supporting mood-related pathways and mitochondrial energy production. Tryptophan can also be routed through the kynurenine pathway toward NAD⁺ synthesis, while niacin supports NAD⁺ availability via the salvage pathway. Turkey is also commonly used as a higher-tyrosine animal food in breakfast contexts to support catecholamine neurotransmitter synthesis.

Within the BRAIN Diet framework, turkey can be used as a pragmatic way to support niacin intake and amino-acid availability while keeping meals plant-forward via vegetable- and legume-based sides. Timing and meal composition matter: carbohydrate co-consumption can influence amino-acid competition at transporters (Trp:LNAA ratio), and gentler cooking helps limit heat-derived compounds while maintaining palatability [1,2].

Key Nutritional Highlights

• Highest protein among BRAIN Diet meat and organ pages (per 100 g).
• Provides a complete, highly digestible protein source.
• Typically contributes B vitamins and selenium with lower heme-iron density than red meat.
• Usually lower in saturated fat than many fatty red-meat cuts when skin and visible fat are limited.
• Contains no dietary fibre, so meals are usually more balanced with vegetables, legumes, or whole grains.
• Processing level matters: minimally processed cuts differ from cured or deli-style products.

Food Context

Synergies

• Pair with complex carbohydrates to enhance tryptophan-to-serotonin conversion; pair tryptophan-rich proteins with moderate carbs to increase Trp:LNAA ratio
• Best consumed midday or evening for calming effect; timing midday or evening for calming effect
• High-tyrosine protein (eggs, tofu, turkey) for morning meals to support dopamine synthesis

Preparation

• Gentle cooking preserves tryptophan and prevents formation of advanced glycation end products (AGEs)

Essential Amino Acid Profile

This food provides a complete essential amino acid profile typical of animal proteins.

Notable amino acids:

• Tryptophan

Recipes

1 recipe containing this food

Turkey Wing Stew

A collagen-rich, glycine-heavy slow-cooked stew made from affordable turkey wings — rich in protein, tryptophan, and B vitamins.

Nutrient Tables (per 100 g)

Core nutrients

Nutrient	Amount per 100 g	% RDA per 100 g
Energy	147 kcal	—
Protein	30.1 g	—
Total fat	2.1 g	—
Saturated fat	0.6 g	—
Carbohydrates	0 g	—
Fibre	0 g	—

Key micronutrients

Nutrient	Amount per 100 g	% RDA per 100 g
Iron	0.7 mg	3.9%
Zinc	1.7 mg	15.6%
Magnesium	32 mg	7.6%
Selenium	30.2 µg	54.9%
Calcium	9 mg	0.9%
Potassium	249 mg	7.3%
Choline	84.4 mg	15.3%
Folate	9 µg	2.3%
Vitamin B12	0 µg	0%
Vitamin B6	0.8 mg	47.5%

Bioactive compounds

Values below are often from specialist compositional databases or literature, not the standard USDA panel. Asterisks (*) refer to source notes at the bottom of this section.

Compound / class	Amount per 100 g	Notes
ALA	1458 mg	—
EPA	4 mg	—
DHA	4 mg	—

Note: Bioactive-compound values vary substantially by cultivar, species, cocoa or oil percentage, processing, and brand formulation. Show quantitative values only where a defensible source exists; otherwise prefer qualitative presence statements or ranges in source notes.

Reference intakes: US Dietary Reference Intakes for adults (19–50 years; using the higher of male/female values where they differ).

Data provenance (core / micronutrient panel): USDA FoodData Central, Turkey, whole, breast, meat only, cooked, roasted, FDC ID 171496, API, per 100 g edible portion, last checked 2026-03-14

Substances

Substances in this food: editorial (Overview / literature) plus analytical (nutrition table).

15 substances in this food

Se^2-

Selenium

Antioxidant enzyme cofactor (GPx); supports redox balance

Tryptophan

Serotonin/melatonin precursor; NAD+ pathway substrate; LAT1 transport dynamics

Vitamin B12 (Cobalamin)

Methylation; myelin; mitochondrial odd-chain FA metabolism

Vitamin B3 (Niacin; Niacinamide)

NAD+ precursor; supports mitochondrial biogenesis and ATP production

Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine → PLP)

PLP cofactor for neurotransmitter synthesis; relies on brain PDXK activation

Fe²⁺

Iron

Oxygen transport; dopamine synthesis (tyrosine hydroxylase cofactor)

Zn²⁺

Zinc

Cofactor in neurotransmission and antioxidant enzymes; dopamine modulation

Mg²⁺

Magnesium

Enzymatic cofactor (>300 reactions); neurotransmitters; mitochondria; redox balance

Ca²⁺

Calcium

Bone health; neurotransmission; interacts with vitamin D and K2

K⁺

Potassium

Electrolyte for nerve transmission, muscle function, and blood pressure regulation

Choline

Acetylcholine precursor; methyl donor; phospholipid synthesis for membranes

Vitamin B9 (Folate; 5-MTHF)

One-carbon metabolism; methylation; homocysteine recycling

ALA (Alpha-Linolenic Acid)

Essential omega-3 precursor; limited conversion to DHA/EPA

EPA (Eicosapentaenoic Acid)

Potent anti-inflammatory; precursor to E-series resolvins; modulates dopamine and serotonin signalling

DHA (Docosahexaenoic Acid)

Accounts for ~10–15% of total brain fatty acids, 20–30% of neuronal phospholipids (PE, PS), and >90% of brain omega-3 PUFA; critical for membrane fluidity, synaptic vesicle fusion, neurodevelopment

References

[1] Abstract The aim of this study was to investigate the possible interaction of mitochondrial dysfunction and inflammatory cytokines in the risk of anxiety and depression. Pirinen & Auranen 2020. Niacin and NAD⁺ metabolism in health and disease

[2] Review of how dietary patterns and plasma ratios of large neutral amino acids (e.g., tyrosine, phenylalanine, tryptophan) influence their transport into the brain and downstream neurotransmitter synthesis. Fernstrom et al. 2013. Large neutral amino acids and brain neurochemistry