September is National Chicken Month

Chicken is an excellent choice for dinner any night of the week. Packed with protein, selenium, niacin and B6 vitamins, chicken is the low-fat centerpiece of limitless dishes, which might partially explain why the average American eats over 80 pounds of poultry each year! Whether baked, sautéed, roasted, shredded or stir-fried, it’s easy to see why chicken is one of America’s most popular choices for dinner.

Tips for Cooking With Chicken

• Many healthy chicken recipes call for boneless, skinless chicken breasts. Chicken breasts are a very versatile cut of chicken, and are very low in fat, only 1 to 2 grams of fat per serving. Conveniently, one 4- to 5-ounce breast, tender removed, yields a perfect 3-ounce cooked portion. When preparing, trim any excess fat from the outer edge of the breast.
• Chicken tenders, virtually fat-free strips of rib meat typically found attached to the underside of the chicken breast, can also be purchased separately. Four 1-ounce tenders will yield a 3-ounce cooked portion. When a recipe calls for chicken breasts alone, remove the long, thin tenders and freeze them wrapped in plastic. When you have gathered enough, use them in quick stir-fries, chicken satay or healthy kid-friendly breaded “chicken fingers.”
• Chicken thighs are slightly higher in fat than other cuts, but have the benefit of full-flavored, juicy meat. To minimize the fat, be sure to remove the skin and trim thighs thoroughly. For quick cooking, choose boneless, skinless thighs. When slow-cooking, such as braising, bone-in thighs work best because they will retain their moisture better. Two 2- to 3-ounce boneless thighs yield a 3-ounce cooked portion.
• Store-bought rotisserie chicken is convenient and practical—but much higher in sodium than a home-roasted bird (4 ounces home-roasted chicken: less than 100 mg sodium; 4 ounces rotisserie chicken: 350-450 mg sodium). Even the unseasoned varieties have been marinated or seasoned with salty flavorings. People with hypertension should think twice before choosing store-bought.
• One pound of raw chicken with bones yields 1 cup cooked, boned meat.

Strengthen Your Immune System

A properly functioning immune system is essential
for resisting illness ranging from colds to cancer.
The health of your immune system
is greatly impacted by
dietary habits and nutritional status.

EFA's - For the health of all cells; prostaglandin activity

Vitamin A - Stimulates and enhances immune processes

Vitamin C - Antiviral; antibacterial; improves immune function

Vitamin E - Enhances both humoral and cell-mediated immunity

B Complex - Needed for proper immune function; especially B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B12, folic acid

Zinc - Plays several key roles in immune system reactions

Selenium - Affects all components of the immune system

Thymus Extract - Increases the function of the thymus gland

Echinacea - Has profound immune enhancing effects

Astragalus - Stimulates several factors of the immune system

Ginseng - Improves resistance to stress; stimulates immune function

Colostrum - Enhances immunity; antibody stimulating factors