Almost 40% of Poles regularly buy and eat poultry meat - no wonder! Who among us doesn't like roasted chicken wings, grilled turkey skewers or grilled chicken? What are the advantages, apart from the taste, of poultry meat?
We asked dietitian Dorota Osóbka, a graduate of the Faculty of Human Nutrition and Consumption at the Warsaw University of Life Sciences, an expert in the 4th edition of the "Polish Meat Brand. Poland Tastes" campaign about the advantages of Polish poultry meat.
In your clinic, you must have met with great interest in poultry, which is very popular among Poles. Apart from taste, does poultry have any other benefits for our body?
Dietitian: Of course, poultry meat has many benefits! First of all, it is an important source of nutrients, including, above all, wholesome protein, vitamins - especially those from the B group - highly digestible heme iron, zinc, potassium, phosphorus, selenium and many other compounds important for the body. The most common poultry, i.e. chicken and turkey, has a low fat content, so it is low in calories and easy to digest. What's more, in poultry, the fat is located mainly under the skin, so you can easily get rid of it before processing. The undoubted advantage of poultry is also the ease of preparation. Steamed chicken breast, depending on its size, is only cooked for about 18-25 minutes, and it will be ready in the pan in 7-10 minutes! All these advantages perfectly match today's nutritional trends. Consumers also appreciate poultry meat for its affordable price and versatility of applications, as it can be used not only in main courses, but also in snacks, salads, soups, diet meals, sandwiches; hot and cold; dry and sweet; they can be baked, fried, boiled in water and steamed. There are thousands of ideas for delicious poultry dishes.
It's a fact that poultry is a great source of protein, probably everyone from line keepers to athletes knows. However, please, develop the topic of protein found in poultry meat - how much is there and why is it so important in our diet?
Dietitian: Protein is one of the most important nutrients. We absolutely arenecessary for the maintenance of normal vital functions and cannot be replaced by any other nutrient. It is the basic building block of every tissue and cell in our body. It is part of enzymes, hormones and antibodies. It also has a transport function, participates in metabolism and ensures the proper functioning of the entire body. Daily consumption of the right amount and quality of protein is crucial for our he alth, for the processes of growth, development and regeneration of the body. Poultry meat is a very good source of wholesome protein. The poultry breast muscles are particularly high in protein - chicken breast meat 21.5 g, and turkey breast meat 19.2 g of protein per 100 g. Meat from poultry thighs and drumsticks is slightly less protein. Poultry protein is wholesome because it contains in the right proportions all the amino acids that our body cannot produce on its own. Sometimes even a small addition of meat (even 30-50 g) to a portion of rice or pasta with vegetables allows you to create a dish with a well-balanced amino acid composition.
Yes, it is extremely important that the diet is well-balanced. You mentioned vitamins. Their high content in poultry meat is probably not very popular knowledge?
Contemporary consumers are increasingly analyzing the composition of products and constantly training - that's very good! Although, in fact, the awareness of the content of individual vitamins in poultry meat is rather moderate. Poultry is an important source of B vitamins, i.e. thiamine (B1), riboflavin (B2), niacin (B3 or PP), pyridoxine (B6), cobalamin (B12), and poultry offal and fatty cuts of meat are also rich in fat-soluble vitamins: A, D, E and K. For the human body, the aforementioned B vitamins are of particular importance, which are involved in the metabolism of proteins, fats and carbohydrates, are necessary for the work of the nervous system and support the functioning in many other fields the body. However, vitamins are not all the beneficial substances found in poultry. The meat of water poultry, i.e. goose and ducks, and to a lesser extent also meat from the legs and wings of chickens and turkeys, is a valuable source of iron in the heme form, which is several times better absorbed by the human body compared to the non-haem form found in plant products. The most iron is found in duck and goose meat.
What other minerals important for our body can we find in poultry?
Poultry meat is also gooda source of zinc, which is essential for the proper functioning of the immune system, has an impact on the condition of the skin, hair and nails, and has anti-inflammatory properties. With zinc deficiency, disturbances in the sense of taste, loss of appetite, deterioration of mood, and even intensification of depression are often observed. The richest in zinc is turkey meat, especially meat from thighs and drumsticks, which only a 100-gram portion covers the daily requirement of an average person for this element. Poultry meat is also a good source of phosphorus and potassium, which regulates blood pressure and supports the work of the heart and muscles, playing an important role in neuromuscular conduction. There is also a large amount of selenium in poultry meat - a strong antioxidant which, by protecting cells against free radicals, delays the aging process of the body, has a positive effect on the circulatory system, supports the proper functioning of the thyroid gland, and even reduces the risk of developing some cancers.
Only he alth! Thank you for the interview.
For recipes for Polish poultry meat dishes by Gaja and Jakub Kuroń, visit the campaign website: somejestjedno.pl
