Nutrition guidelines (and this newsletter) talk a lot about limiting intake of red meat (beef, lamb, pork, venison). But what about poultry?
What the Science Says. Birds like chicken or turkey provide high quality protein along with vitamins and minerals, including selenium, phosphorus, iron, and vitamins B12, B6, niacin, thiamine, and riboflavin.
Diets high in saturated fat and low in unsaturated fat are associated with increased risk for cardiovascular disease. In general, poultry’s fat profile is healthier than that of beef, pork, or lamb—and less healthy than that of fish or plant proteins like beans and lentils.
Observational studies have found that dietary patterns high in poultry were either neutral for heart health or associated with lower risk of coronary heart disease (CHD) and death from any cause. Replacing red meat, especially processed red meat, with poultry has been found to be associated with lower risk of CHD, type 2 diabetes, and deaths due to cancer. Poultry is also better for the environment than beef and lamb (see page 1 for more information).
Chickening Out. Preparation method and degree of processing can make a difference in the healthfulness of poultry dishes, but the part of the bird and whether it is skinless or not make less difference than one might think.
Type: There is a common idea that skinless chicken breast is the healthiest choice. This is accurate, but not by much. Dark meat (legs, thighs, and back) has slightly more fat than white meat (breasts and wings), but still considerably less than beef. Some of the fat is saturated, but some is also heart-healthy unsaturated fats. “Choose whichever part of the bird you prefer or is best for a particulr recipe,” says Alice H. Lichtenstein, DSc, Gershoff professor of nutrition science and policy at the Friedman School and editor-in-chief of this newsletter, “and if you enjoy a little crispy skin, go ahead. As long as you are choosing poultry over beef, you’re making a good choice.”
Where choice makes the biggest difference is in ground beef/ground poultry selections. The amount and types of fat in different ground meats can vary significantly. When you’re making tacos, meatballs, and other dishes that call for ground meats, look for packages labelled with the greatest percentage “lean”. We’ve created a chart to help you out (see Fats in Ground Meats).
Preparation. “The best preparation methods involve little added salt, sources of saturated fat (butter and cream), and added sugar,” says Diane McKay, PhD, assistant professor at the Friedman School. “To minimize sodium intake, try using herbs, spices, and citrus to flavor poultry, rather than salt.”
Avoid deep frying, which adds calories, refined carbohydrates, and sodium.
Processing. Dietary patterns high in processed meats (salted, cured, or smoked) have been associated with higher risk of developing obesity, cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and some cancers. This includes processed poultry. That means chicken or turkey deli meats, nuggets, sausage, hot dogs, jerky, and bacon should be limited or avoided.
➧ Avoid Processed. Avoid or limit chicken or turkey deli meats, sausage, bacon, and hot dogs, which tend to contain high levels of salt and other unhealthy preservatives.
➧ Rely on Herbs and Spices. Flavor your poultry with herbs, spices, and citrus instead of automatically adding salt.
➧ Don’t Worry About the TYPE. Dark meat and skin-on poultry are still better choices than red and processed meat when it comes to heart health.
The high sodium content of many processed meat and poultry products can raise blood pressure. The addition of nitrites and nitrates as preservatives may increase cancer risk (particularly colon cancer). It is best to choose unprocessed poultry as much as possible.
White or dark, skin or no skin, poultry can be part of a healthy diet.