If you are a chicken lover and you have not tasted the kadaknath (black chicken) then you may be missing something! Kadaknath chicken is both a delicious and a healthy treat. There are many benefits of Kadaknath chicken, primarily due to its rich protein content. It is known to have originated from the Dhar and Jhabua, in Madhya Pradesh and the adjoining districts of Gujarat and Rajasthan.
Kadaknath chicken is jet black in color and it might shock you because the color of its bones and blood is black too! Its skin, beak, toes, and soles are dark grey in color. That’s why it’s called ‘Kaali Maansi’ (fowl having black flesh). The color of the body, as well as the blood, is darker than normal due to the high amount of melanin in the body.
There are three different breeds in Kadaknath chicken; kadaknath-native, Silki-native; China, and Aynam-native Indonesia. It’s a native bird as well as an organic breed of Madhya Pradesh reared by the tribal communities.
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Types Of Kadaknath Chicken
1. Jet Black Kadaknath
The cock and the hen both are black in color of this variety.
2. Golden Kadaknath
The head and neck area of cock and the hen of this kind have the golden feathers.
3. Penciled Kadaknath
The neck region of the adult birds have white feathers with the black feathers on the body.
Benefits Of Kadaknath Chicken
1. Good Source Of Protein
Kadaknath meat contains 25% protein. This is typically only 18 to 20% in white meat. Protein is very necessary for the overall growth and development of the body. It boosts our energy to perform different kinds of activities. The high content of protein makes it a good source of protein especially for athletes, pregnant women and the people who want to gain ideal weight.
2. Low In Cholesterol
People are quite concerned nowadays about cholesterol intake because of increased heart problems. White meat has 13 to 25% cholesterol typically, kadaknath chicken, on the other hand, has only 0.73 to 1.05% so it can be a boon for heart and blood pressure patients. Health-conscious people can also pick it as a healthier choice.
3. Rich In Iron, Calcium, And Phosphorus
Kadaknath chicken has Iron, Calcium, and Phosphorus in abundant quantity which fulfills the basic requirement of our body. It offers about ten times more iron than an ordinary chicken.
Iron provides hemoglobin and prevents fatigue and a disease called anemia. Calcium also plays a vital role in improving bone health, limiting risk to osteoporosis.
Phosphorus is good for strong bones as well as body metabolism. Overall it has all the vital nutrients required by the body for the proper functioning as well as growth and development.
4. High Amount Of Vitamin B And Vitamin E
This chicken has a variety of Vitamin B, Vitamin B1, B2, B6, B12 which is great for boosting the metabolism of our body and makes it a good choice for people of all age groups. We have heard a lot about the benefits of Vitamin E for skin and hair through the advertisements of skin and hair products. Apart from these benefits, it helps in blood circulation and nourishes blood cells.
5. Source Of Amino Acids
Amino acids play a vital role in muscle formation and muscle supplement. Kadaknath chicken provides eight vital amino acids out of eighteen.
Also Read: Benefits Of A Vitamin E Rich Diet And Their Side-Effects
How To Cook Kadaknath Chicken
1. Boiling And Frying
You can enjoy your black chicken cooked with the traditional method of boiling it first and then mix it with the gravy of onion, tomato, ginger-garlic paste with whole and powder spices of your choice. Black meat is very warming and generally, it’s not cooked with warm spices.
2. Roasting
Kadaknath chicken can be enjoyed roasted for 20-25 minutes with a marination of your choice.
3. Stir Fry
The black meat can be enjoyed as a snack cooked with spices with the stir fry method.
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Features Of Kadaknath Chicken
Day-old chicks are bluish to black with irregular dark stripes on the back and adults look silver golden to bluish-black without any stripes. They breed well in temperature from 10 to 45 degrees, and their compatibility to temperature makes them a good choice for breeding purposes. It grows fast due to its feed conversion ratio (FCR). They are fed heavily on veggies like spinach, cabbage, grains as well as kitchen waste, and this is the reason for good weight gain in them.
They are highly resistant to the diseases as compared to other poultry animals, which minimize the overall expenditure and the profit margins are very high in Kadaknath chicken. Their comb, wattles, and tongue are purple in color.
The average bodyweight of the cock is 1.5 kg and the weight of the hen is around 1.0 kg. The weight of the egg of the kadaknath chicken is around 46.8 grams. Kadaknath chicken tastes a little like mutton. Although it’s soft in texture, it takes a little more time to cook, as it’s coarse.
Popularity And International Attention
Kadaknath meat is the only avian species in India which has the Geographical Indication tag. Its demand is high, which generally increases in the winter season. The production is less compared to demand, that’s why the rates of this chicken are already touching the sky. It can cost you around 900 to 1200 rs per kg and the single egg of this hen costs 50 rs each, but still, it does not affect the demand because of its rich taste and nutritional value.
Krishi Vigyan Kendra has taken a lot of steps to get international recognition for this local and highly nutritious protein source. KVK has written a letter to BCCI for adding it to the diet of Indian cricketers rather than choosing grilled chicken for them and the Senior Scientist I S Thomar has explained the advantages of this meat in the letter.
KVK has also provided a lot of financial and employment opportunities to the rural people of M.P. to save this rare breed and to take it to the next level of recognition.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here, we have answered a few interesting FAQs about the benefits of Kadaknath chicken.
1. Is kadaknath chicken good for your health?
Kadaknath chicken is loaded with minerals and vitamins such as vitamin B1, B2, B6 and B12, vitamin C, vitamin E, niacin, iron, phosphorus and calcium. Furthermore, it is a good source of protein.
2. What is special about kadaknath chicken?
Kadaknath meat is the only avian species in India which has the Geographical Indication tag. Its demand is high, which generally increases in the winter season. The production is less compared to demand, that’s why the rates of this chicken are already touching the sky.
It can cost you around 900 to 1200 rs per kg and the single egg of this hen costs 50 rs each, but still, it does not affect the demand because of its rich taste and nutritional value.
3. Is kadaknath good for the heart?
People are quite concerned nowadays about cholesterol intake because of increased heart problems.
White meat has 13 to 25% cholesterol typically, kadaknath chicken, on the other hand, has only 0.73 to 1.05% so it can be a boon for heart and blood pressure patients. Health-conscious people can also pick it as a healthier choice.
4. Is Kadaknath chicken tasty?
Kadaknath chicken has a very subtle texture and taste. Though the curry prepared using this chicken adds an intense flavor that is unforgettable.
5. Is the Kadaknath egg black?
Unlike the regular chicken, Kadaknath eggs are black. Also known as black chicken.
Conclusion
Kadaknath is the black meat chicken (BMC) of India. Being a rare breed, it’s not available in bulk quantities, but the government is taking steps to increase the production of Black meat.
This black meat may not be very appealing to the eyes but its consumption will boost your eyesight for sure, as kadaknath chicken is a rich source of Vitamin A along with all other essential nutrients that we have discussed before.