As Thanksgiving approaches, let’s talk a little turkey. Turkey is usually the centerpiece of Thanksgiving tables. It is relatively inexpensive protein and a great supplier of leftovers. But how healthy is it?

The answer depends upon what turkey you buy. Many turkey processors inject saltwater (saline) into turkey to make it freeze well and stay juicier when it cooks.

Fresh turkey naturally contains about 70 milligrams of sodium per 4-ounce serving. A saltwater-injected turkey serving has 300 to 500 milligrams of sodium!

Not all turkeys have added salt. Most fresh, natural birds are a healthier buy.

When you buy a saline-injected turkey, it may seem cheaper, but the water in it is heavy, so you pay a premium price per pound – for saltwater.

Ask at your grocery store whether the meat department carries turkeys that are not sodium-enhanced, enriched or injected. Ask the butcher to point them out to you; labels can be confusing. Ask whether natural turkeys will go on sale as the holidays get closer.

To keep your bird moist and flavorful without all that added salt, try wrapping it in foil to roast. Remember that the carcass makes a wonderfully flavored turkey soup, 10 times lower in salt than any soup you can buy!

Easy Roast Turkey

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Fill turkey cavity with slices of onion, lemon and celery. Place turkey on sheet of heavy aluminum foil, top with second sheet. Crimp edges tightly to seal.

Allow about 2.5 hours for 12-pound bird. Check a cookbook for other sizes and roasting times.

Combine herb mix below. Last 30 minutes of cooking, remove top sheet of foil. Raise oven temperature to 500 degrees, basting with herb butter/oil every five minutes.

Insert thermometer into a thigh (without touching bone). When it reads 165 to 170 degrees, remove bird from oven. Let rest for 20 minutes before carving.

Turkey Seasoning Blend

5 tsp. marjoram
2 tsp. celery seed
5 tsp. sage
2 tsp. pepper
3 tsp. thyme
2 tsp. onion powder
¼ cup olive oil or melted butter

Turkey Barley Soup

One turkey carcass
14-16 cups cold water
2 cups barley or brown rice
4 large celery stalks, sliced
8 large carrots, peeled, sliced
2 diced potatoes
3 onions, chopped
4 tsp. dried thyme or 1 bunch fresh
1 Tbsp. dried sage, or 2 bunches fresh
½ cup fresh parsley

Heat water in large pot. Remove any meat clinging to carcass; set aside. Break up carcass to fit in the pot. Bring to a boil.

Boil one hour, remove carcass. Strain broth through colander to remove any bone fragments. Return to stove, add remaining turkey meat.

Wash, chop veggies. When stock boils, add remaining ingredients.

Turn heat down to lightly bubbling simmer for about two hours, stirring occasionally. Brown rice will cook more quickly than barley; check regularly.

Leftover tender vegetables, like broccoli, green peppers or spinach, can be added the last half hour.

Katy G. Wilkens is a registered dietitian and department head for Northwest Kidney Centers, and has a Master of Science degree in nutritional sciences from the University of Washington.