November 14, 2007

Philippine institute finds native chicken better over commercial broilers

A recent study done by the Philippine Food and Nutrition Research Institute (FNRI) showed that native chicken, locally known as Darag, is more nutritious than commercial broilers.

The study showed that Darag chicken meat contains less fat, high in protein, rich in potassium and has more unsaturated fatty acids.

FNRI says that while fats have a bad reputation among the general public, unsaturated fats are in fact essential to health. The institute says unsaturated fats provide protection for vulnerable parts of the body, maintaining warmth in the system, disseminating vitamins A, D, E, and K, helping to keep the hair and skin healthy, and acting as storehouses of energy. Research showed that daily dosage of unsaturated fat can be highly beneficial.

Common unsaturated fats are derived from oily fish such as herring, tuna, sardines, and salmon as well as from vegetable oils and nuts.