WHAT NUTRIENTS ARE IN COOKED POULTRY
CLA's - Vitamins A & E - Omega-3 - Protein - Essential Fatty Acids

 
We all benefit from seasonal, locally grown food and, the same applies to chickens. Native vegetation (flowers, greens, herbs, native grasses etc..) changes with each season and, this is nature's way of balancing nutrition for animals and, for us too.
 
Chickens that range freely is a potent key in raising chickens to thrive. They decide where to go, what to eat and how to forage. After-all chickens have been around longer than people and, they know what is best for them. 

When heritage chicken breeds are slow-grown and allowed to forage naturally they will find what they need. When observing chickens in nature we learn that this is what they do all day  since, It is their natural way of life. Feasting on nature's buffet of goodness is what gives them good health, strong bones, muscling and a powerful immune system. Chickens that forage and range all day on native vegetation, bugs, grubs and consuming decaying organic matter have a great conversion rate. They convert all those wonderful proteins, fats and, micro-organisms into nutrients that we too can benefit from. 

Chicken stock is a thick and nutritious concentrated type of gelatin. Stock is made from cooking chicken bones, cartilage, feet, shanks and necks for a long period of time (usually 6-8 hours). The objective in making chicken stock is to extract as much of the nutrients from the bones, cartilage to make a thick, concentrated gelatin-like nutritious substance. When stock is made from an ethical chicken it can contain a tremendous amount of beneficial nutrients which includes
 

Iron

Potassium

Calcium

Vitamin B12.
Vitamin C.

Magnesium

Phosphorus

 

Gelatin

Antioxidants.
​Vitamin A.
Vitamin D

Collagen

Glycine

Glutamine

Vitamin E.
Vitamin K.
Essential Fatty Acids
Protein

Glucosamine

Chondroitin sulfate

Calcium and so much more.

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Of course, this is providing that you are using an ethical chicken. Otherwise, chickens that were hatched in a hatchery, vaccinated and fed a ration of cereal grains are also probably consuming anti-parasitical therapeutics. All of which can end up in your stock, broth and food supply. "You are what you eat" also applies to chickens. 

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Chicken broth is usually made from cooking down the muscle and soft tissue of the chicken. It is a thinner liquid compared to stock and, it does not usually become a gelatin. Research shows that open range, pasture-raised and foraged heritage chickens have a higher nutritional profile than the faster growing breeds that are fed a grain and, vegetarian-based diet. 

 

Recent research and studies have also shown that chickens that are supplemented with grains have a less nutritional overall value. Chickens that are supplemented with grains are likely to suffer from underlying health problems. 

 

Xenia Stavrinides