White Bean Turkey Chili: Gluten-Free, 30 Minutes - Healthy Hearty Recipes (2024)

FAQs

What to add to chili to make it healthier? ›

Stir in Some Beans

Instead, use beans in your healthy chili to add fiber and stretch your dish healthfully and inexpensively. You can use one type of beans, such as kidney beans or black beans, or mix several types for a variety.

Turkey chili is the perfect compromise on a cold day when you want a warm bowl of comfort food with fewer calories than beef chili.

Here are some of the specific nutritional benefits of turkey chili: Low-fat and high-protein: Turkey is a lean protein source, which means it is low in fat and high in protein. Protein is essential for building and repairing muscles, and it can also help diabetics manage their blood sugar levels.

Cornmeal: Add a tablespoon of cornmeal or masa harina while stirring continuously. Mashed Beans: Mash a portion of the beans and stir them into the chili to thicken it. Crushed Tortilla Chips: Crushed tortilla chips can also be added as a thickening agent.

Cocoa Powder

Chocolate might not be the first thing you think of when you're making a batch of chili but it pairs perfectly with peppers. Adding just a teaspoon or two of unsweetened cocoa powder like we do in our Instant Pot Chili (pictured above) will make your go-to recipe rich and flavorful.

Cocoa powder, bacon, cinnamon, ground coffee and tomato paste will all add a rich sweet & salty flavors that are sure to surprise and delight. Warming spice blends, like Garam Masala, Ras el Hanout or Baharat are another simple and delicious way to add layered flavors to this simple one-pot meal.

While meat can be a part of a healthy diet, not all sources are created equal. The leanest and healthiest meats to eat include poultry, pork, fish, and seafood. Eating a balanced diet is one of the keys to a healthy lifestyle, which means choosing various foods from different food groups, like proteins.

The bottom line is yes—it is okay to include ground turkey in your diet regularly, though as with any food, it's crucial to eat it in moderation and variety in your food choices. Eating a diverse range of nutrient sources helps ensure you obtain all of the essential nutrients needed for enhancing overall health.

Kidney Beans

Kidney beans are commonly used in popular recipes like chili and rice dishes. These slightly sweet, soft beans are loaded with nutrients such as fiber, folate, protein, magnesium, manganese, and potassium.

Takeaway. A person with diabetes should include a variety of fresh, whole foods in their diet, such as nutrient-dense fruits and vegetables. Bananas are a safe and nutritious fruit for people with diabetes to eat in moderation as part of a balanced, individualized eating plan.

What are the best beans for diabetics? ›

Kidney, pinto, navy or black beans are packed with vitamins and minerals such as magnesium and potassium. They are very high in fiber too. Beans do contain carbohydrates, but ½ cup also provides as much protein as an ounce of meat without the saturated fat.

Share on Pinterest Beans are a good source of fiber and protein. Although beans contain carbohydrates, they are low on the glycemic index (GI) scale and do not cause significant spikes in a person's blood sugar levels.

In general, chili is seen as a healthy food since chili contains ingredients from key food groups. If you want to build a healthier bowl of beef chili, choose lean ground beef. Reducing the fat content in the meat is important for heart health and can lower your risk of developing diabetes.

Eating chilis can be good for your immune system. They contain certain bioactive compounds, including flavonoids and carotenoids, that help your immune system work better.

You can upgrade your chili using ingredients you likely already have on your spice rack, such as chili powder, ground cumin, onion powder, garlic powder, smoked paprika, and cayenne pepper. Be sure to use a light hand while adding seasonings, as you want to avoid adding too much of one and ruining your pot of chili.