Food has always been crucial and necessary for all living beings, whether animals, humans or plants. However, there is a variation of food eaten by different organisms.
Food provides nutrients and energy to the body, which further helps the person perform activities. Energy is essential for all living beings.
There are several animals whose meat is eaten worldwide, for example, chicken, fish, goat, cow, buffalo, camels, octopus, etc.
Key Takeaways
- Turkeys are larger than chickens, with adult males weighing up to 24 pounds, while chickens weigh between 3 to 8 pounds.
- Turkeys have a more robust, gamier flavor than chicken meat’s milder taste.
- Both turkey and chicken are common poultry options in various cuisines, but they differ in size, taste, and certain nutritional aspects.
Turkey vs Chicken
Turkey is a large bird that is widely consumed as a poultry meat. It is a type of poultry that is known for their distinctive appearance, with a long neck, fan-shaped tail, etc. Chicken is a domestic bird, eaten around the world as a source of protein. It is raised on farms for its meat and eggs.
Comparison Table
| Parameters of comparison | Turkey | Chicken |
|---|---|---|
| Feathers on body | Does not have a feathered neck and head. | Has feathered head and neck |
| Colour of body | Black in colour | Colourful plumage. Male chicken are more colourful |
| Uses | Used for meat | Used for meat and eggs as well |
| Colour of meat | Dark in colour | Light in colour |
| Protein content | High protein | It contains relatively less protein |
What is Turkey?
Turkey is a game bird, domesticated in large farms; it has bald heads and red wattles. Eating turkey is a popular and traditional choice for festive occasions, Thanksgiving and Christmas.
They are dark in colour, with large body sizes, and do not have feathers on their heads or necks. Turkeys are heavier than chicken, approximately 15 pounds heavier.
Turkey is descended from the North American wild turkey. The origin of turkey is said to be from the west, unlike chicken. Thus it can be seen that turkey meat is more common in the west than in the east.
Turkey meat is preferable as it has high-quality protein, vitamin B, selenium, zinc and phosphorus. It is recommended for muscle growth and maintenance. Turkey is extensively used for its flesh and not for eggs.
In the market, there is a wide variety of processed meat available. Still, it is advisable not to use processed turkey as it would not have similar nutritional values as average turkey and might contain high salts.
Turkey meat is darker in colour, distinguishing it from chicken, and the calorie content of turkey is shallow. Thus it is recommended for people following a rich protein diet with low-calorie meat.
There are two types of turkey preferred by people to eat: skin turkey and skinless turkey. The difference is that skin-on turkey has unsaturated fats, which are delicious compared to skinless turkey.
What is Chicken?
Chicken is a fowl which is domesticated. Eating chicken is a common practice in the Indian subcontinent on regular days. It is said that the origin of chicken is traced to the Indian subcontinent, but there is no certainty of its origin.
It is descended from red junglefowl Gallus gallus.
Chickens are different in appearance than turkeys; they have feathers on the neck and head, have colourful plumage, and male chickens are more colourful.
Chicken is protein-rich food extensively preferred for muscle growth; besides protein, it has potassium, calcium, fats, etc. Chicken is also used for their eggs which also have high protein.
Eating chicken is not preferred by all, as in India, eating flesh is not preferred by some people. They are called vegan. Unlike the west, eating chicken is not auspicious on special occasions (especially Hinduism).
Chicken flesh is light in colour, and it is even lighter and easy to digest when compared to red meats or lean meats. Chicken helps muscle growth, promotes heart health, aids weight loss, strengthens bones, etc.
Chicken is heavier than turkey but lighter than red meat. There is a large variety of chicken dishes available in the market. Chicken has a peculiar taste, which enhances the taste of any dish.
Main Differences Between Turkey and Chicken
- Turkey is dark, black, while the chicken is colourful, and the male chicken is even more colourful.
- Turkey has more protein as compared to chicken.
- Turkey is extensively used for its meat whereas chicken is used for its meat and eggs as well.
- Turkey originated from America, while chicken originated from India ( although there is no certainty).
- The colour of turkey meat is darker, whereas chicken meat is lighter in the shade.
- Turkey does not have a feathered neck and head, whereas chickens have a feathered head and neck.
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