Ground Turkey Protein Bowls

Getting enough protein is about more than just building muscle. When you have an adequate protein intake, you’re supporting the health of your bones, brain, and digestive system as well. With this in mind, we’ve created these Ground Turkey Protein Bowls to support your overall health, no matter the goal.

Protein has been found to aid in the absorption of calcium in the body, with a 2012 review showing that high-protein diets promoted bone growth, while low-protein diets were associated with a greater risk of hip fractures.¹ More recently, a 2022 Harvard study determined that even small adjustments to getting calories from protein instead of carbohydrates showed markedly reduced risk of cognitive decline.²

Finally, we at The Paleo Diet® have shown that higher protein intake does not contribute to gastrointestinal upset as long as you eat a variety of plant and animal foods—and source minimally processed, grass-fed, pasture-raised, or regenerative meats. Maintaining a diverse diet of healthy meats, vegetables, fruits, and fats can support a thriving gut microbiome—even with higher protein intake. So it’s no surprise that we’ve thrown some hearty vegetables and flavorful toppings into our Ground Turkey Protein Bowls to support the gut.

Poultry is one of the highest whole-food sources of protein available, with ground turkey boasting roughly 20 grams of protein per quarter pound of meat.³ Sunflower seeds are also rich in protein,⁴ though we recommend only eating nuts and seeds in moderation, which is why they are just a topping for this dish. To round out the ingredients of these Ground Turkey Protein Bowls we added broccoli, sweet potatoes, spinach, and avocado. Despite these plant foods having small amounts of protein (about 1.5 to 3 grams per 100-gram serving), they add a combined 9 to 10 grams per serving to the recipe.^5–8 So don’t skip including them!

RELATED: High-Protein Foods to Eat on The Paleo Diet

TIPS:

• What are those golden potatoes? Sweet potatoes come in several colors besides orange. We used a white sweet potato for this recipe, but you can use orange or even purple sweet potatoes if you prefer. No matter which potato you grab, make sure it’s always a sweet potato, as regular potatoes are not Paleo.
• You can make your own Paleo Pickled Onions in minutes with a salt-free vinegar brine—just use our recipe before starting on these Ground Turkey Protein Bowls.

Love our recipes? Make going Paleo even easier and download our 7-Day, 14-Day, and 28-Day digital meal plans!

References

1. Calvez, J., Poupin, N., Chesneau, C., Lassale, C., & Tomé, D. (2011). Protein intake, calcium balance and health consequences. European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 66(3), 281–295. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22127335/
2. Godman, H. (2022, June 1). Protein intake associated with less cognitive decline. Harvard Health. https://www.health.harvard.edu/mind-and-mood/protein-intake-associated-with-less-cognitive-decline
3. (2023, April 20). Turkey, ground, 93% lean/ 7% fat, raw. FoodData Central; U.S. Department of Agriculture. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/food-details/2514747/nutrients
4. (2023, April 20). Seeds, sunflower seed, kernel, raw. FoodData Central; U.S. Department of Agriculture. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/food-details/2515381/nutrients
5. (2022, October 28). Sweet potatoes, orange flesh, without skin, raw. FoodData Central; U.S. Department of Agriculture. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/food-details/2346404/nutrients
6. (2019, December 16). Broccoli, raw. FoodData Central; U.S. Department of Agriculture. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/food-details/747447/nutrients
7. (2021, October 28). Spinach, baby. FoodData Central; U.S. Department of Agriculture. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/food-details/1999632/nutrients
8. (2024, October 31). Avocado, Hass, peeled, raw. FoodData Central; U.S. Department of Agriculture. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/food-details/2710824/nutrients