Many holiday recipes include gravy as an integral part. You might be wondering if you should skip gravy if you are trying to lose weight or eat healthier. Because of its high fat and sodium content, gravy can enhance flavor. Have a look at these amazing Gravy Nutrition Facts below!
Gravy adds richness and decadence, especially to otherwise dry foods like turkey. Gravy may not be the healthiest option for everyday eating, but it is possible to enjoy this holiday staple while still maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
We’ll give you some background information about gravy and show you how to keep a realistic view of healthy eating.
Gravy Nutrition Facts
The nutritional facts of gravy may vary depending on whether it is made from scratch or a brand. 1
- Calories: 25
- Fat 0 g
- Sodium 500 mg
- Carbohydrates – 5 g
- Fiber 0 g
- Protein: 1.7 g
Carbohydrates
Gravy is made from modified corn starch, flour, and thickeners.
Fats
Although you can buy “fat-free” gravy from the grocery store, consider the portion size. Although the example above uses chicken fat as an ingredient (although a 100-gram serving doesn’t technically have enough fat on the label), it does contain enough.
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Protein
100g of turkey gravy contains almost 2 grams of protein. Turkey is a great source of protein. If gravy makes Thanksgiving more delicious, you can add it to your turkey.
Vitamins and Minerals
Gravy is not a good source of vitamins and minerals. Gravy is not a good source of vitamins or minerals.
Varieties
You can make gravy from any meat, including chicken, turkey, sausage, or beef. Depending on how the gravy is prepared, the fat and micronutrients of each gravy will vary. 2 Beef gravy, for example, may have more calories and fat than chicken gravy.
You can easily compare the nutrition labels of gravy prepared-made brands when you buy them. It can be more difficult to calculate nutrition facts if you make it from scratch. Gravy is a more special occasion food, so it’s up to you to figure out every detail. Healthy eating habits include relaxing and letting go of the rules from time to time.
Food Safety and Storage
Hot foods should be kept at 140 degrees F or higher and cold foods at 40 degrees F or lower. This is the golden rule for food safety. The gravy should be kept in the refrigerator after it is served to prevent bacteria growth. These items can be kept in the freezer for up to six months.
How to Prepare
Make gravy at home if you’d like to enjoy it with your Thanksgiving meal. Here are some suggestions for modifying the nutritional content:
- Avoid recipes that require cream. Although you can substitute skim milk for some recipes, it may result in a thinner gravy.
- Avoid sausage gravy recipes that include cream, especially if made with cream.
- Make low-carb gravy. Gravy is primarily made up of carbohydrates and fat. You can lower the amount of fat or carbohydrates to reduce calories in gravy.
- Avoid butter-based recipes
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You can cut down on calories and saturated fat when making homemade gravy using pan drippings. You may be familiar with thickening gravy using flour. The fat and flour combine to make the thickening sauce. Cornstarch can be used to thicken the gravy, but you can preserve the flavor of your meat.
- You can use any pan drippings for gravy. Keep the fat-free portion.
- After five minutes of heating the turkey stock in a saucepan, remove any browned bits from the bottom.
- Strain the deglazed drippings in the fat separator cup. The non-fat portion can be used to make gravy.
- Another way to get rid of fat is to add ice cubes to the drippings—place them in the freezer for 10 min. You can then remove the fat and make gravy from the rest.
- Make gravy using water, cornstarch, skim milk, and cornstarch. To make 4 cups of simmering stock, add 1/4 cup cornstarch to 1 cup of water or milk. Add the defatted drippings to the mixture. Stir it for 3 to 5 mins.
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Conclusion
Remember that our daily choices affect our health, not just a few times per year. It’s okay to modify favorite recipes to reduce sodium and saturated fat. However, this is not always necessary. Enjoy your holiday meal and then move on to healthier choices for the next meal.
