Thanksgiving turkeys raised on regenerative farms are more nutritious, new research shows

November 25, 2024 at 11:37 AM EST

Thanksgiving turkeys raised on regenerative farms are more nutritious, Utah State research shows

Want to put a better turkey on you Thanksgiving table? Look for one that grew up on a farm that practices regenerative agriculture.

A new study conducted by the Center for Human Nutrition Studies at Utah State University in Logan, Utah, found that not only does regenerative farming improve agricultural land but also makes the resulting turkeys more nutritionally dense than conventionally raised birds.

“Our analysis found that turkeys raised on pasture using regenerative farming practices have improved omega-3 and phytochemicals profiles compared to conventionally-raised birds,” said Stephan van Vliet, Ph.D, director at the center.

“Our findings are in line with a recent study we published on beef point towards initial promising effects that regenerative agriculture may have on the nutrient density of meat,” he was quoted as saying in a Diestel press release announcing the results.

The study was conducted on behalf of Regenified, which offers regenerative certification for farmers, and Diestel Family Ranch, a family-run farm based in Sonora, Calif., that earlier this year was awarded one of the first regenerative certifications from Regenified.

Regenerative agriculture prioritizes the health of the soil and eliminates industrial farming practices that have been known to negatively impact the planet. Through practices like rotational grazing, reduced tilling, crop rotations and maintaining vegetative cover, regenerative farming can not only sustain farms, but also help them thrive, according to Diestel.

“We’ve always known that our farming practices are better for the land, but now we have initial data to confirm that our practices directly impact the health of our birds too,” said Heidi Diestel, fourth generation farmer at Diestel Family Turkey Ranch, based in Sonora, Calif.

Diestel’s says its regenerative birds were the first to be fed 650-tons of U.S.-grown Certified Regenerative feed that directly improves bird and soil health. In addition, Diestel turkeys have access to open land that was designed to replicate their natural shaded forest habitat.

“Even as a small family-owned business, we’ve aspired to always do the right thing for our birds and the planet,” Heidi Diestel said.

Among the other nutritional findings from the study, which compared Diestel’s regenerative turkeys to an unnamed leading national brand turkey:

Mineral content: The Diestel brand has higher levels of zinc. Zinc is crucial for immune function and DNA synthesis.
Antioxidant compounds: Antioxidant phytochemicals are transferred from the plants that turkey eat are transferred into their meat. The analysis found that the regenerative Diestel ground had higher levels of phytochemicals compared to a national leading brand, likely the result of consuming plants on pasture and/or the non-GMO regenerative feed that they consumed.
Vitamin concentrations: Vitamins B3 and B12 were found to be higher in the Diestel regenerative samples compared to a national leading brand.
Protein concentrations: The Diestel regenerative breast samples had slightly higher protein levels than the national leading brand.

Diestel products are available for sale at Whole Foods Markets, Sprouts Farmers Market, as well as other national and regional grocery stores across the country.

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Thanksgiving turkeys raised on regenerative farms are more nutritious, new research shows

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