Is it okay to eat chicken with skin? And other questions about the most consumed meat in the world

Among animal meats, chicken is undoubtedly the world’s favorite.

It is the most consumed meat globally: the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) estimates that in 2021, 133 million tons of white meat were consumed in the world.

In Latin America, the third region in the world where this food is most consumed, in 2019 each person ate an average of 32.7 kg of chicken. The figure in Brazil was 40.6 kg and in Argentina 40.4 kg.

Chicken consumption is popular because it is generally cheaper, low in fat, and faces few cultural or religious barriers.

In addition, it is a meat rich in protein and an important source of vitamins and minerals. It still contains significant levels of beneficial monounsaturated fats, which may benefit cardiovascular health.

But this popular food also seems to be surrounded by doubts and false beliefs.

For example, chicken skin is known to contain a high level of fat. So, is it okay to eat chicken with the skin on or should we remove it before cooking or consuming the food?

“Chicken skin has 32% fat. In other words, for every 100 grams of skin we consume, 32 grams are fat,” said María Dolores Fernández Pazos, nutritionist at the Chicken Meat Nutritional Information Center (Cincap, for its acronym in Spanish), to BBC News Mundo in Argentina.

Of these fats contained in the skin of the chicken, explains the nutritionist, two thirds are unsaturated, the so-called “good fats”, which help to improve blood cholesterol levels.

And a third of fats are saturated, the so-called “bad” fats, which contribute to increasing levels of unwanted cholesterol.

This is the same level of fat that chicken meat contains. Therefore, says the expert, “if we consume chicken with the skin, we will be increasing the caloric intake of each serving by approximately 50%”.

So, for example, if we eat a 196 gram breast without the skin, we are consuming 284 calories (according to US Department of Agriculture nutrition data), with 80% of calories coming from protein and 20% from fat.

But those numbers increase dramatically if we include the skin: the breast will have 386 calories, 50% from protein and 50% from fat.

Therefore, says nutritionist Dolores Fernández, “the healthiest and most general recommendation for the population is to remove (the skin) before eating, so as not to add extra calories or fat to the dish.”

“In the case of people with no history of disease, with adequate weight for their height, physically active and with adequate body composition, we can suggest leaving the skin of the chicken during cooking and removing it before eating, as the presence of the skin during cooking cooking will help the meat to dry out less and become more juicy and tasty”, says the expert.

Can I refreeze chicken that has been thawed?

“No. It is not recommended to refreeze chicken meat”, says the nutritionist at Cincap.

“The whole point of freezing food is to stop microorganisms from growing on it. So when you thaw it, those microorganisms can start growing again.”

And this is advice that applies to all meats that have been thawed. The only safe way to refreeze them is when they are cooked.

“In this way, with safe cooking, we will eliminate the presence of microorganisms and we will be able to refreeze the meat, guaranteeing the organoleptic properties and the safety of this product”, says Dolores Fernández.

What is the best way to defrost chicken?

The best way to defrost chicken, experts say, is inside the refrigerator.

“Defrosting at room temperature can increase the growth of the microorganisms we mentioned earlier and spoil the product.”

Since thawing in the fridge will be slower, it can take about 24 hours for a whole chicken. We must plan in advance the best time to remove the meat from the freezer.

Experts point out that chicken meat should never be thawed at room temperature or in hot water.

Why do some stores sell yellow chickens and others pink ones? Are some better than others?

The color of chicken meat can vary according to the pigments contained in the grain used in his diet, explains the Cincap specialist.

Grains such as corn contain a higher concentration of pigments than white sorghum or wheat.

And in some countries, by consumer preference, it is customary to add a natural pigment to poultry feed to give the meat a yellowish color.

But from a nutritional point of view, explains Dolores Fernández, “there are no differences between the properties and nutritional contributions of a yellow chicken and a pink one”.

How to avoid poisoning with chicken meat?

Chicken, as we see, is one of the most nutritious and popular foods in the world, but it is also often one of the main sources of food poisoning.

Raw meat is contaminated with Campylobacter bacteria and also occasionally with Salmonella and Clostridium perfringens.

That’s why if you eat chicken that hasn’t been cooked properly or contaminate other foods or drinks with raw chicken or its juices, you can get food poisoning.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that each year about 1 million people in the country become sick from eating contaminated poultry.

• Always wash your hands before preparing all types of food and several times during its preparation, especially if you handle raw and cooked food at the same time.
• To avoid cross-contamination: when handling chicken and other raw foods, use different equipment and utensils and avoid contact with cooked and/or ready-to-eat foods;
• We should never wash chicken meat, as this can cause it, along with the water particles that splash, to contaminate the workplace;
• Cook the chicken thoroughly: it should be free of the pink color in or near the bones and joints;
• If you have leftover chicken from one meal and want to eat it the next, reheat it completely.

This text was originally published here