3 Lies About Turkey

There are plenty of things that make Thanksgiving stressful, but you can rest easy when it comes to these silly myths. By Sunny Sea Gold, REDBOOK.

TurkeyLIE #1: The dark meat is bad for you. While it's true that the drumstick has about 30 more calories and 4 more grams of fat per serving than the breast meat, dark meat also packs more iron and folate--two nutrients that boost energy, among other important things like heart health. If you're a leg lover, go for it.

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LIE #2: Turkey makes you sleepy. If you slip into a food coma on Thanksgiving, don't blame the bird. Turkey contains no more tryptophan--the relaxing amino acid often blamed for tiredness--than chicken or beef. If you need a nap, it's likely because you ate too much. Any big meal can slow you down.

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LIE #3: It's not safe to cook stuffing inside the bird. Oh, p'shaw! While it's true that bacteria from the raw turkey cavity can get into the stuffing and multiply, as long as you pop it into the oven right away and make sure the stuffing gets up to 165 degrees on a meat thermometer, any little baddies will be toast.

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