Thursday, July 10, 2014

The health benefits of turkey

Meat is a valuable source of protein and other nutrients. But when it comes to a healthy diet, it's important to choose the right kind of meat and eat the correct portion size. The Australian Guide To Healthy Eating recommends we eat one serving of meat per day, the equivalent of 65 to 100 grams of cooked meat.

The pros
Turkey is a rich source of protein.
Skinless turkey is low in fat. White meat is lower in kilojoules and has less fat than the dark meat. A typical turkey consists of 70 per cent white meat and 30 per cent dark meat.
Turkey meat is a source of iron, zinc, potassium and phosphorus.
It is also a source of vitamin B6 and niacin, which are both essential for the body's energy production.
Regular turkey consumption can help lower cholesterol levels. The meat is low-GI and can help keep insulin levels stable.
Turkey contains the amino acid tryptophan, which produces serotonin and plays an important role in strengthening the immune system.
It is also a source of selenium, which is essential for thyroid hormone metabolism. It also boosts immunity and acts as an antioxidant.


The cons
Turkey can be high in sodium.
Some meat, particularly prepackaged slices, can be processed and contain other substances.Turkey skin is high in fat.
Research suggests large amounts of tryptophan can make you sleepy.

Monday, July 7, 2014

Raising Chickens and Its Benefits


It looks like everyone is enticed to raise their own chickens at home. I wouldn’t wonder why they are tempted in doing so. Raising your own chickens offers a lot of benefits. You can have your own chicken meat and eggs. These might be the obvious benefits, but they do not end there. Raising chickens can give you more on what you don’t expect. In this article, we will find out the other benefits of raising chickens in your own home.

Healthier and tastier load of eggs

You may not know this but raising your own chickens in your backyard can give you a healthier load of eggs. Chickens grown in factory farms don’t have the privilege to explore nature, do a little chicken exercise and peck bugs. When these factory farmed chickens lay eggs, the eggs are less nutritious since the hens are deprived of doing natural chickenish things.
Factory farms of chickens are mostly concerned of producing more eggs than focusing on the egg’s quality.

In fact, backyard chicken eggs have a greater percentage of Vitamin E, Vitamin A, beta carotene and omega-3 fatty acids. If the eggs are from your backyard, they are undoubtedly tastier than eggs that you bought in grocery stores. Backyard chicken eggs have firmer whites and brighter yolks.

Fresh supply of chicken meat

Just like the eggs, chickens grown in your own backyard will yield a fresher supply of chicken meat. Since your chickens have the freedom of exploring your backyard, they develop leaner muscles which are actually good during your cooking sessions. Aside from that, whenever you run out of chicken meat, you can always depend on your backyard chickens. Feel free to have a fresh supply of chicken meat whenever you like.

Better compost pit

Chicken droppings are nice things to add in your compost pit. Their droppings are actually rich in nitrogen. Nitrogen for plants is as important as oxygen for humans. With nitrogen, plants can do a better job of cellular respiration; thus, having a better performance in the process of chlorophyll synthesis. Your plants and vegetables will have fuller and greener leaves. As you grow chickens, you can also grow better plants and vegetation. Wouldn’t that be great?

Natural insect control

Chickens love to peck on bugs and other insects. Bugs and insects are naturally the enemies of your vegetation. They nibble on leaves and chew on the root crops. With chickens around, they can help you

minimize the population of insect pests in your garden. Their constant pecking and scratching are a perfect way to save your garden from deteriorating because of insect pests. However, be sure to put a little fencing on your sensitive plants. The chickens might not be able to hold their continuous habit of scratching.

Stress reliever

Just like any other hobby, raising chickens is a way of relieving your stress. It kills your boredom when you have nothing to do at home. They are also fun and interesting to watch. Undoubtedly, raising chickens have a lot of benefits to offer.