Mandeep Singh Azad, Kawardeep Kour
In a letter to the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), Krishi Vigyan Kendra in Jhabua district in Madhya Pradesh, has written that the nutritional content of the Kadaknath chicken makes it an ideal inclusion in the diet of post-COVID patients. Nutritional therapy is the first line of treatment for post COVID-19 patients, and optimum intake of nutrients, mainly those crucial to the immune system, should be given through diverse and well-balanced diets. The also recommended that, along with Kadaknath meat of the chicken, its eggs and other extracts be prescribed for post COVID-19 patients. They contain polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) – an omega-3 fatty acid, Zinc, Iron, Vitamin-C and essential amino acids and other nutrients which help build immunity. The demand for Kadaknath, a protein-rich breed of chicken from tribal-dominated Jhabua district of Madhya Pradesh, has shot up significantly amid the COVID-19 outbreak. This is due to the fact that there are number of health benefits this chicken provides. Kadaknath is one of only three varieties of chicken in the world to have black meat, Silkie in China and Ayam Cemani in Indonesia being the other two. These chickens get the dark staining from melanin and are high in protein and low in fats, including cholesterol. The bird is very popular among the adiwasis mainly due to its adaptability to the local environment, disease resistance, tasty meat quality, texture and flavour. though the flesh of this breed is black, it is considered not only a delicacy of distinctive taste, but also of medicinal value.
Kadaknath meat contains polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) -eicosatetraenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA),zinc, vitamin C and other vitamins, essential amino acids, and, of course, iron that gives the meat its characteristic black colour. Kadaknath chicken has all the nutrition required to nourish the human body. It has very low cholesterol and fat, which has been confirmed by the National Meat Research Centre (NMRC, Hyderabad). New research shows that a diet high in fat and cholesterol depletes artery-protecting immune cells, turning them into promoters of inflammation, which raises plaque (fatty deposits) buildup inside the walls of arteries. These thicken the arterial walls, both hardening and narrowing them, which makes the heart pump harder to keep the blood flowing. Plaque sometimes breaks, fully or partially, and clogs the arteries, stopping blood flow to trigger a heart attack or stroke. The damage can be countered by taking in more high-density lipoproteins (HDL) or ‘good cholesterol. High HDL levels in the blood help the immune cells to keep the arteries clear. Meat low in cholesterol bears the double benefit of weight loss and reducing cholesterol. Interestingly, the presence of melanin in the blood of the black chicken makes it good for people suffering from Vitiligo, which makes the skin discoloured unevenly due to the presence of melanin. The meat of this chicken is also believed to be an aphrodisiac and improves low libido. Kadaknath Eggs are naturally a great source of protein and nutrients that make them great for weight loss. Apart from that, these black eggs are a simple cure for severe headaches, asthma, nephritis and boosts immunity. The meat and eggs of this black chicken are a good source to cure tuberculosis.
It has a very distinct flavour and texture many compare to partridge and other game fowl. Chefs say it tastes like what chicken probably tasted like before it was domesticated. If you enjoy free range and other birds, you’ll take to Kadaknath really well too. Day-old chicks are bluish to black with irregular dark stripes over the back. Adult plumage varies from silver and gold-spangled to bluish-black without any spangling. The skin, beak, shanks, toes and soles of feet are slate like in colour. The comb, wattles and tongue are purple. Most of the internal organs show intense black colouration, which is pronounced in trachea, thoracic and abdominal air-sacs, gonads and at the base of the heart and mesentery. Kadaknath chicken has a peculiar effectiveness in treating women discuss, sterility, Menoxenic (abnormal menstruation), habitual abortion. Kadaknath meat has high levels of vitamins B1,B2,B6,B12, C and E, niacin, protein , fat, calcium, phosphorus, iron, nicotinic acid etc. High levels of 18 essential amino acids as well as hormones that are required by the human body. The Central Food and Research Institute, Mysore, studied its medicinal qualities and found it suitable for cardiac patients as it increases blood supply to the heart. The eggs are also an ideal nutritive, especially for old people and high blood pressure victims, since the cholesterol content is lower rich in amino acids and higher than that of other kinds of birds. The eggs of kadaknath chickens can be used effectively to treat severe headaches, headaches after giving birth, faintness, asthma and nephritis (acute or chronic inflammation of the kidney).
Amid a surge in cases of COVID-19, the health department Jammu and Kashmir has ramped up the testing and samples collection of tourists and pilgrims coming to the state. Nasal and swab samples of pilgrims coming to Mata Vaishno Devi temple and international travellers, who are not fully vaccinated, are being collected. In these covid times when we need have a good health and improved immunity meat like Kadaknath can surely be of help. With so many health-related benefits Kadaknath meat and eggs are must ingredient of a healthy diet plan. It is one of the healthiest meats. It is very important to make people aware about this breed and also popularize this breed among rural masses who can also adopt this as an enterprise for income generation.
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