healthy benefits of chicken

Chicken is one of America’s favorite foods because it is wholesome, versatile and easy to prepare. It can be cooked in many different ways, either by itself or paired with other foods such as grains, vegetables or fruits. It can be used in appetisers, soups, salads, sandwiches and main dishes. In addition to this, white meat chicken is one of the lowest fat protein sources, and leg meat, while a little higher in fat, provides a rich flavor to any meal. Either type of chicken fits easily into today’s preference for healthy living.

Low in fat and calories

Chicken provides the complete protein you require daily and of all meats is one of the lowest in calories, fat and saturated fat. You can reduce the fat content of chicken even further by removing the skin. To avoid adding fat to chicken, use cooking methods such as stir-frying, grilling and broiling that require little or no fat. If you want to panfry, bake or grill another option is to use cooking spray, baking paper or low fat liquids in place of cooking oil.

Did you know?

- Fat in chicken is greatly reduced by removing the skin. Skinless
  breast fillet with fat removed can be lower than 1% fat content.

- Chicken Breast has the lowest cholesterol at around 62mg/100g

Premium Protein

Our bodies require protein, and because protein can’t be stored in the body, we need a new supply every day. Chicken is an ideal source of protein because it is lower in calories, fats and saturated fats than most other meats.

Did you know?

- An excellent source of protein, a 100g serve will supply around half
  the recommended dietary intake.

- 100g of baked chicken will give around 9% of the recommended
  dietary intake for energy

Nutrition

Chicken is extremely dense in nutrients, including protein, zinc, iron, phosphorous, riboflavin, thiamin and niacin.

 Did you know?

-      Chicken contains significant quantities of many minerals, including 
  iron, zinc, magnesium and phosphorous.

the history of the chicken

From their origins in Southwest Asia chickens have spread to all corners of the world due in great part to their usefulness to man.

Charles Darwin considered chickens as all being descendants of a single wild species, the red jungle fowl, G.gallus, which is found in a wild state from India through Southeast Asia to the Philippines. Chickens are considered to have been domesticated for at least 4,000 years.

4,000 years ago the Egyptians built brick incubators which could hold 10,000 chicks at a time.

The chicken is mentioned in ancient Chinese documents which in around 1,400BC.

Chickens are also depicted in Babylonian carvings of around 600BC and mentioned by early Greek writers, notably the playwright Aristophanes in 400BC.

The Romans considered chickens to be sacred to Mars, the God of War.

buying poultry

The poultry industry has been a lot easier to regulate than beef and lamb because of the animal’s size. Feed intake can be controlled and strict breeding practices mean we end up with a very consistent product.

When purchasing, poultry should always look smooth, with the breast being pliable and having an opaque pale pink bloom. Avoid grey looking breasts of chicken or chicken that’s sticky to the touch. The thigh should be rich pink in colour.

Although supermarket poultry is usually consistent, it doesn’t compare with the fresh product purchased from a specialist like Poulos Poultry. Don’t be fooled into buying poultry on the bone as a cheaper alternative – with the bone removed, the chicken meat will usually be a similar price to the filleted product.

Poulos Poultry storage, handling and cooking tips

TO STORE
Product must be kept at 5°C or below at all times. To take home it is recommended you put products in an insulated cooler.

TO FREEZE
All Poulos Poultry chicken products can be frozen for up to 3 months. However, filo pastry products do not handle the thawing process well with the pastry becoming soggy. Please confirm with your store which products meet the criteria.

TO THAW
Defrost frozen products in the fridge overnight to ensure that the entire product stays at less than 5°C as it defrosts. Products can also be thawed in a microwave oven by following the microwave manufacturer’s guidelines.

TO COOK
These are recommended cooking times only. Please ensure all products are defrosted before cooking. Cooking times are based on a pre-heated conventional oven. Fan forced ovens will require marginally less time than those stated in this guide. Microwave times are based on a 750 watt oven. BBQ times will vary depending on style of BBQ.

Meat Outlook       

Consumption per person                                                             2001/02         2002/03       2003/04