The chicken addiction

Are we over chicken-ing in America? The “white” meat chicken breast came in to save our health in the late 70’s and early 80’s. They deemed the skin and dark meat to be causing heart disease, however this only to spiraled to fried, tenders, nuggets, salad toppings, and the breast becoming a main staple in people’s diets.

On the Conscious Nutrition Food Tree, we intentionally inserted dark meat chicken to raise awareness around this overconsumption of the chicken breast. The breast has less blood flow due to chickens do not fly well. Also, if hormones or antibiotics are used, they can concentrate in this tissue. If you do not like the taste of the white or dark, I challenge you to rotate between quality chicken breast and thighs. Plus, the dark meat can be more cost effective.

I remember when I was little my Dad sneaking me the skin of turkey or chicken, because we thought that tasted the best. That was the natural way to incorporate fat and salt versus the preservatives they are adding to make you keep coming back for more. 

The industry calls it “palatability,” which refers to food that has the capacity to stimulate the appetite and drive us to eat more. These high sugar-salt-fat coatings produce rewarding opioids in our brain and drive us to want to have it.

If you are craving meat but want to add in other alternatives, try adding in more umami foods.

Umami is the fifth flavor and is defined by savory, meaty or rich. The umami taste helps provide you with the sensation of being fed, satiated, and full. This is essential for weight management.

How to add Umami:

• Try Tamari or Bragg’s Liquid Aminos
• Cook With Wine: Chinese cooking wines, sake, or red and white wines
• Garnish With Fresh Chopped Chili Peppers: jalapeno, or habanero
• Drizzle Cold Pressed Oils: walnut, sesame, olive, avocado, coconut, and hazelnut
• Add fish roe: caviar or salmon
• Add Seaweeds: dulse, kelp, wakame
• Make Mushroom Sauces: shitake, porcini
• Add Spices: coriander, turmeric, garlic, ginger, tarragon, marjoram, and oregano
• Add extra flavor: garlic, shallots, green spring onions, and red or white onion
• Use Spicy Sauces: Siracha, Tabasco, Cholula

These flavors are natural ways to provide the palatability your body truly needs.

Stay spicy,

Heather Fleming, C.C.N

P.S. Here is a fun recipe to give a whirl. Vegetable Risotto

P.S.S. If you are wanting to learn more about your body, please join us for the Fall RESET begins Setpember 26th. Three weeks of Conscious eating plans and gentle liver cleansing.