How much sodium is in turkey may seem an easy question. If you are referring to turkey luncheon meat, the answer is simple – A LOT. So much, even in lower sodium luncheon meats, that for most of us it is off the menu. 
However, a turkey roasted at home is OK right? Just don’t use too much salt during cooking. Not so fast. During a recent shift of refrigerators in my house I found a turkey breast in the freezer. I think I remember scoring said breast at the Harris Teeter grand opening for 11 cents a pound. While this may be a deal for my pocketbook, turns out it is not such a great deal for my health.
Close inspection of the turkey revealed that it had been injected with a solution of broth and other things I would prefer not to eat. Closer still inspection revealed that my cheap score of turkey comes with a hefty dose of sodium – 500mg per 4 ounces to be exact. That is CRAZY.
I am careful to watch when buying pork and chicken to make sure it is not injected with any “solution.” So much so that on a recent shopping trip I was unable to even buy the pork loin that was on my list because there were no options in the entire store that did not contain sodium solution (while I will not reveal the store, I will say that I am now trying to only buy meat directly from our CSA). However, I was not aware just how much of this crap they were pumping into poultry. There is another side to this; the weight it adds so you can pay for salt water, but that is another issue entirely.
What to do? Read the label carefully. Don’t buy meat that is injected with salt solution or other such sodium cocktails. Contact producers and demand that they stop this practice. If we as a country are even going to come close to meeting the new sodium recommendations, we will need their help.
Don’t miss another great blog: Subscribe Now