As a healthy protein choice, turkey burgers are a diet staple. But with conflicting nutrition information online their carb content remains unclear. As a burger lover trying to watch my carb intake, I decided to crunch the numbers on carbs in turkey burgers.
Why the Confusion on Turkey Burger Carbs?
Raw turkey contains zero carbs, so where do the carbs come in turkey burgers? The answer lies in two places:
1. Binders and seasonings – To help hold ground turkey together many commercial brands add breadcrumbs or high-carb flavorings.
2. Cooking method – Frying or browning adds negligible carbs. But thick barbeque sauces can pile on sugary carbs.
Without these additions, turkey burgers contain minimal intrinsic carbs. But preparation techniques skew many product labels and data sources, muddying the true carb content.
Tracking Down the Numbers on Carbs
To find accurate turkey burger carb data, I dug into nutritional resources:
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USDA National Nutrient Database – Their lab testing found 1/4 pound of cooked ground turkey burger contains just 0.6 grams total carbs and 0 grams net carbs.
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Nutrition Label Analysis – Unseasoned, additive-free turkey burger patties I analyzed showed 0 to 1 gram of carbs per serving.
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Expert Guidance – Dietitians confirmed that plain turkey burgers contain negligible carbs from the meat itself.
How Many Carbs in a Typical Serving?
Based on my research, here are the average carb counts in popular turkey burger serving sizes:
- 1 turkey burger patty (4 oz cooked): 0-1 g carbs
- 1 cup cooked ground turkey (no bun): 0 g net carbs
- 1/4 lb turkey burger meat (no bun): 0 g net carbs
So without sugary toppings or condiments, your average turkey patty or turkey burger meat contains virtually zero digestible carbs!
Keto-Friendly Turkey Burger Options
For keto and low-carb diets, turkey burgers make extremely versatile protein options.
Here are some tasty ways to enjoy carb-free turkey burgers:
- Lettuce wrap turkey burgers instead of using buns
- Add cheese, avocado, or bacon for healthy fats
- Use yogurt-based dressings instead of sugary ketchup
- Fry in olive oil or avocado oil instead of breaded coatings
- Skip the sugary BBQ sauce and use hot sauce or mustard instead
Be Carb-Conscious with Commercial Brands
When buying pre-made turkey patties and burgers, check the nutrition labels closely. Many contain added starches, sugars, and mystery carb sources.
Ideally, choose brands listing only whole turkey, oil, eggs, spices, and salt in the ingredients. And confirm the carb count fits your diet goals. With a few smart choices, you can enjoy turkey burgers as a fresh, low-carb protein meal any time.
Frequency of Entities:
turkey: 17
burgers: 16
carbs: 15
grams: 7
brands: 3
cooking: 3
contains: 3
sources: 2
servings: 2
seasonings: 2
add: 2
binders: 2
keto: 2
patty: 2
carb: 2
content: 2
numbers: 2
nutrients: 1
database: 1
analysis: 1
guidance: 1
dieticians: 1
lovers: 1
lover: 1
contrasting: 1
resources: 1
techniques: 1
labels: 1
online: 1
choices: 1
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FAQ
How many carbs in a turkey burger without bun?
How many calories in a 4 oz turkey burger patty?
How many carbs are in a pound of turkey burger?
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Protein (g)
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90.29
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Total lipid (fat) (g)
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43.4
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Carbohydrate, by difference (g)
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0
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Energy (kcal)
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775.5
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Sugars, total (g)
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0
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How many carbs in a quarter pound turkey burger?
How many calories are in a turkey burger?
There are 217 calories in 1 Turkey Burger. Calorie breakdown: 52% fat, 0% carbs, 48% protein. There are 217 calories in 1 Turkey Burger. Get full nutrition facts and other common serving sizes of Turkey Burger including 1 oz of cooked and 1 small patty.
Is a turkey burger healthier than a beef burger?
As far as healthy food swaps go, choosing a turkey burger over a beef burger is right up there with subbing regular french fries for sweet potato ones. Or that’s how we often see it anyway — a perception rooted in the larger assumption that ground turkey is always healthier than ground beef. But how different are these ground meats really?
Should you eat ground turkey burger patties?
For this reason, Beaver says that it’s a good idea to curb the amount of saturated fat you consume. This means that sometimes ground turkey may actually be a healthier choice than ground beef, especially if your diet typically contains a lot of red meat. What about everything else added to turkey burger patties, though?
Does a turkey burger need breadcrumbs?
For anyone that’s tried to form a ground turkey patty at home, you already know that even a healthy turkey burger recipe almost always calls for breadcrumbs. So compared to a ground beef patty, which comes to shape with just rolling and flattening, a potential turkey burger nutrition concern arises.