Poultry is one of the highest quality sources of protein. In addition, it contains plenty of iron, zinc, potassium and B vitamins, but hardly any fat.
Here you will learn which piece of meat is the best, and what to look for when buying and preparing it.
Why poultry is healthy?
The protein contained in poultry can be optimally absorbed and utilized by your body, because it has a high biological value.
Biological value refers to the quality of proteins in food and is considered a measure of how much protein from the food can be converted into the body’s own protein. The already high protein quality of poultry increases even more when it is combined with potatoes or rice, for example. In addition, poultry meat contains many B vitamins, magnesium and iron.
If you prefer to eat lean, low-fat meat, choose a breast cut and leave out the skin, because that’s where most of the fat sits. The leg is also relatively fatty, as the muscles are covered with many small layers of fat. Although this tastes delicious and makes the meat particularly juicy, it is also reflected in the calorie balance.
Chicken: the most popular poultry
Chicken breast is one of the most popular types of meat. It is not only the most tender poultry, but also the least caloric, with only 102 calories per 100 grams. At the same time it provides 24 grams of protein and only 1 gram of fat.
Those who claim that chicken breast is much too dry have probably just prepared it incorrectly.
With correct preparation the lean breast meat becomes butter-tender and comes from the consistency already nearly to the juicy (but unfortunately fat) leg ran. A chicken leg can unfortunately not quite keep up with the nutritional values of the chicken breast. It not only contains significantly more calories (173 per 100 grams), but also less protein (18 grams), but more fat (11 grams).
By the way: Even though the word “chicken” suggests a male animal, it actually means a young fattening animal, regardless of gender. Only the soup chicken refers to a female animal. More precisely, an old laying hen. This has a very tough meat, which becomes tender only by long cooking, hence the term soup chicken.
In addition to vitamin B12, chicken meat also covers almost the entire daily requirement of vitamin B3. This vitamin not only plays a major role in energy, fat and carbohydrate metabolism, but also helps regenerate muscles and nerves.
Turkey: more than just an alternative to chicken
Turkey breast without skin provides the same amount of protein and is just as lean as chicken breast.
Turkey breast contains more zinc, iron and vitamin A, but less cholesterol than chicken. Too much cholesterol increases the risk of vascular calcification (arteriosclerosis) and thus also the risk of a heart attack or stroke. You should therefore make sure that you consume as little cholesterol as possible in your diet.
The same applies to turkey: the breast meat with skin and the drumsticks are very fatty and less rich in protein. Ideal for athletes and those who want to lose weight is therefore the turkey breast without skin. However, if the fat content is not important to you, you are also happy to reach for the leg, which tastes particularly juicy.
Tip: The breast meat of chicken and turkey tastes less intense than the fatty legs, which means it needs more seasoning.
Duck: more fat, but also a lot of iron and magnesium
When you think of duck, you think directly of the Chinese around the corner?
Peking duck is not a Chinese dish, but also a farmed form that is often used for fattening.
Compared to wild ducks, Peking ducks contain more fat and have a milder taste. In general, however, ducks taste heartier and more intense than chicken and turkey.
This is mainly due to the higher fat content. Per 100 grams, duck breast with skin contains 17 grams of fat, 226 calories and only 18 grams of protein. On the other hand, the breast scores with 110 milligrams of sodium and has the most iron and folic acid of all poultry varieties, as well as a good portion of zinc and B vitamins.
Tip: Before you cook the duck breast, cut the skin crosswise so that the fat can escape. After roasting, it then goes back into the oven to finish cooking.
Goose: the fattiest and most aromatic type of poultry
Goose meat is one of the fattiest, but at the same time most flavorful poultry and comes rather rarely on the table, mostly at Christmas time. Per 100 grams, goose with skin has 338 calories and 31 grams of fat. For comparison: even with skin, chicken breast has only 145 calories and 6 grams of fat. Even if the goose with 16 grams of protein per 100 grams does not come to the chicken, so the protein content can still be seen.
In addition: With 420 milligrams of potassium per 100 grams, it even beats all other types of poultry.
The body needs sufficient potassium for signal transmission between the cells to take place. In addition, the goose leg contains almost as much iron as the duck.
Tip: It’s best to choose goose breast, which contains a lot of fat but much less than goose leg. The easiest way to cook is in the oven. To do this, you just need to put the seasoned goose breast in a baking dish with a little water or broth. However, since the meat is very thick, the goose needs several hours in the oven. Plan enough time.
Tips for buying poultry meat
The quality of the meat depends on how the animals were raised. Organic poultry tastes more aromatic and juicy, but is also significantly more expensive, because it lives twice as long as normal poultry. Animals raised on the ground, on the other hand, are raised quickly and have less room to move. As a result, the legs are not as strong and tasty as organic poultry. Make sure that the meat of chicken and turkey is light pink, while the meat of duck and goose may be a little darker.
Poultry is always best cooked through
Poultry can be contaminated with salmonella, campylobacter bacteria or other germs. Therefore, always cook the meat through. Only then can you be sure that the pathogens are destroyed. Pink-fried duck breast should also be taboo. In the worst case, it can lead to unpleasant gastrointestinal disorders.
There are a few things you should keep in mind during preparation: For example, do not use knives or boards that you have already used for the meat to cut any other ingredients. Use only plastic boards and replace them regularly.
By the way: Please do not wash poultry before preparation! This would only spread any germs everywhere by splashing water, for example in the sink, on sponges or the worktop. Put meat from the package directly into the pan. Only heat kills bacteria.
Chicken and turkey are unbeatable for athletes due to their high protein and low fat content. Duck and goose contain significantly more fat, but also more iron, magnesium and potassium.