Chicken is the most popular food in the world. Its consumption is growing everywhere. And this is good because of all the healthiest and cheapest nutrient-providing foods, chicken is among the few that are low in calories and rich in nutrients.
Many people also wonder whether eating chicken and eggs is healthy and safe. We could answer with a simple ‘yes’, but let us try to explain the reasons for this ‘yes’.
Before arriving at the supermarket, the chicken is checked by numerous professionals who work to make it grow healthy. From before the eggs hatch, to the grocery shop, food safety is always the main concern throughout the poultry chain.
Bacteria minima
When you hear about food safety, Salmonella is often mentioned, but few know that Salmonella is potentially present in every raw agricultural product.
In fact, fresh fruit, vegetables and meat normally carry bacteria that are present everywhere. We also have them inside us and our organism handles them.
The most recent surveys indicate that 89% of Salmonella diseases originate … not from chicken.
Why? Because the control measures in the poultry industry on these bacteria are constant and increasingly refined and precise. Above all to prevent and combat a particular bacterium, Campylobacter, which in recent years has been identified with increasing precision in order to reduce or eliminate it.
What benefits does chicken bring to our diet?
Chicken is an excellent source of high-quality, low-calorie, low-fat protein that provides important nutrients to those who eat it at every stage of life because:
- contains mood-related nutrients such as tryptophan, an amino acid responsible for increasing serotonin levels in the brain. Serotonin contributes to ‘well-being’ by being linked to mood management;
- provides vitamins and minerals involved in brain function: in its dark and white meat there are vitamin B12 and choline, which contribute to brain development in children, help the nervous system function properly and facilitate cognitive performance in the elderly;
- is easy to eat even for those with chewing or swallowing problems;
- contributes to muscle growth: being a high-quality source of protein, even as little as 30 grams of protein per meal can benefit muscle growth;
- strengthens bones because it is rich in protein and minerals that are easily absorbed because they are bound to them;
- provides vitamins and minerals otherwise little consumed, contributing to a healthy diet low in fat and cholesterol;
- helps weight control, being a lean meat rich in protein, and is a useful food as a tool for managing our body weight.
The editorial staff of M.A.C.
