Volantino

Although white meats are commonly considered less “valuable”, they have interesting nutritional characteristics. They contain high-quality proteins, minerals and vitamins that contribute to the good functioning of our body. Let’s have a look: • They are an excellent source of high-quality protein . White meat is particularly indicated during specific periods in which the body needs easily digestible and available proteins e.g. pregnancy, growth, ageing. Chicken and turkey are among the best meats for weaning: the digestibility of their proteins, the quality of their amino acids, and their reduced ability of triggering allergic reactions make them ideal for this stage of life. • They have a fat content which varies greatly depending on the cut of meat. Rabbit meat is typically the leanest, followed by turkey and chicken. The fat content varies from about 1% in leaner cuts, such as chicken breast and turkey breast, up to a maximum of 17% in oven baked wings and legs (including the skin). In white meat the fats are concentrated in the skin. Eliminating the skin gives a leaner meat making it ideal for who is following a low-fat diet. The fats in white meat are of a good quality because they contain low quantities of saturated fat. • They are a good source of iron , even if the iron present is not readily absorbable by our body. There are strategies that can help absorb the iron contained in white meat (see “Kitchen tips: white meat”). NUTRITIONAL QUALITY … pork and veal , despite their “pink” colour and being similar to white meat, are considered red meats because of their nutritional composition. DID YOU KNOW THAT… DISCOVERING WHITE MEATS LET’S LEARN TO EAT WELL 29