Chicken or Fish

[pentangles]

Since I can't say I like any other kind of meat, I am trying to cut down at least one of the above. I currently eat chicken 3 times per week, and fish 3 times also.

Most chicken I can source right now is either going down in quality (but not in price), is filled with water, or stuffed full of phosphates and stabilisers. This might not be a big deal to some, but I can taste the difference texturally and I don't like it:(
I can order online or travel further to locate decent organic chicken but it isn't always in stock. This can upset my meal plan for the week, so quite irritating.

Solution - cut down on the chicken!
But will I be losing anything essential that I can't get in reducing, or eating more fish?
I am 52 and past meno. Presuming iron isn't as vital as before..
Mum had osteoporosis in old age so I am mindful of what I eat at this point.

Us vegans manage ok, and you seem pretty clued up on nutrition, get plenty of leafy greens, good fats to increase vit absorption, and of course plenty of vitamin c to maximise iron absorption from your other sources and I imagine you will be fine!
As for the fish, unless you're eating insane quantities of high mercury fish (apparently there is a "tuna calculator" online to give you your maximum tuna consumption should you wish to look this up!) Then you should be fine.

Are you eating eggs, dairy, pulses etc?

I would definitely recommend keeping the fish and eating chicken when you can source good quality meat. Could you buy in bulk and freeze some when you can get it? Pulses, nuts and legumes are also good sources of protein.

I agree by the way, it's difficult to get good quality chicken and it's expensive when you can.

Thanks, yes I do eat some cheese and eggs. I also love nuts, figs, and other decent sources of calcium and protein. But Nothing beats the protein content of chicken here, so worried about losing that.

I prefer a spagetti with romano peppers/tomato/mushroom meal with pine nuts, basil and grated cheese - that's just sooo delicious but I imagine it iss a lot less protein than I am used to.

Basically 2 eggs are around 14g of protein whereas 100g of sliced chicken is over 28g!

Caveat - I can't tolerate legumes

Fish is great. I'd say maybe but a really good quality chicken from a reputable butchers as often as you can afford. Maybe once a month, once a fortnight? It tastes so much nicer though is very expensive.
If you eat dairy, pulses, eggs and plenty of fruit and veg then you should get all the nutrients you need with no chicken at all.

For Christmas we got a rooster from the Herb Fed Chicken Company. They're based outside York but they deliver. I've since ordered other chicken from them and it is head and shoulders above supermarket chicken for taste and texture. Well worth the extra cost.

https://www.herbfedpoultry.co.uk/free-range-poultry/?gadsource=1&gclid=CjwKCAiAiOa9BhBqEiwABCdG8xVtvZYBN6Lrar9qQzAVxzJkZswxfANTU8suyxKpWQzOSMn10CXFFxoCNcAQAvDD_BwE

What's the reasoning behind wanting to cut out either fish or chicken? I would have thought a mix of the two would provide a better range of nutrients than just one or the other?

If you're looking to increase your plant intake for health, why not eat more plant based meals per week, and still continue to eat both chicken and fish on your non plant based days?

I wanted to reduce chicken because I can't source the quality I would like currently to spread over a week. If I find it online, say M&S organic, it is often substituted at my door for something that I don't like.

I suppose chicken had become a pain in the arse really.

Only concerned about dropping so much protein per week I suppose.

Have you thought about bulk buying it from an online butcher? (A proper one, not somewhere like musclefoods).

Can you add a daily protein shake and / or protein yoghurt to add a non meat source of protein?

Do you live on your own or with someone else?

We (DH and I) buy a whole organic chicken and either roast it at a weekend and then use it up during the week, or joint it and cook from fresh. If you need to buy online, find a really good organic butcher and buy in bulk.

We are very lucky that we have a fabulous fishmonger in our town so we buy our fish there. We also try to eat plant based meals a couple of times a week.

If you are having a balanced diet with eggs and nuts and cheese and beans then protein really isn't going to be a problem for you

2 eggs = 12 g or 17g from a pot of greek yogurt

tin sardines in sandwich ( multigrain bread ) 22 g + 10g

Handful nuts 5g

Evening meal - pasta, cheese sauce with peas and mushrooms = 5 + 12 + 5 +3

That's something over 70g without blinking - usually 45g would meet most healthy eating standards

People who want to diet do promote a high er protein diet as it is slow to digest so helps you control feeling hungry

Great ideas here, thank you everyone!

I live alone so tend to buy small packs or either cooked or raw and eat over a span of 2/3 days, then I move on to the fish
I do like my veggie meals too but since I don't get along with beans and lentils I do prefer my animal protein.

I live in a semi rural place and don't drive, so although I have a nice big freezer our local shops are quite sparse. We have an M&S but it my chicken is always out of stock.

I was reading Tim Spector (of Zoe fame)'s new book earlier and his view was that we didn't need to worry too much about protein as most people had a healthy amount in their diet. He was, however, surprisingly less keen on fish than I had expected and suggested that the 2-3 servings a week which is the usual advice was too many, partly because of the environmental impact of fishing.

Thanks.
I think we are damned if we do and damned if we don't currently.
Too much conflicting information.

I agree about fishing, but strictly speaking eating fish 3 times per week wouldn't be out of place in a traditional Japanese or Med diet. Our horrible management of the earth and farming has led us into this awful mess of conscience and discomfort.

And the messaging changes so often! Protein is the most recent fixation, so animal proteins are probably selling more than previously. The quality goes down as the quantities go up, and that's before we even get to consider ethics.

I have always wanted to vastly reduce meat, but not being able to tolerate legumes I would worry about some nutrients. I love to eat mackerel once a week and now I am told it has been added to the over fishing list, aaaaagh!

Just sub in vegetarian forms of protein: tofu, Greek yoghurt, nuts, eggs plus your usual fish.

You seem quite hung up on protein but there’s loads of protein in non-meat sources when you add them up across a day. Most of us get plenty without trying, unless you are a bodybuilder who needs a huge amount.

We only eat meat of any sort maybe 3-4 nights a week, never any meat for breakfast or lunch only dinner, and we get plenty.

Will take that on board, I have only this past few years been thinking about protein, never seem to have had issues previously. And not a bodybuilder!
True that all sources through the day add up.

I think my issue is about the quality, so most of the more affordable, accessible chicken is crap. I don't like freezing and defrosting personally, so that would be a pain for me.

What about iron though? Most pant iron isn't as well absorbed. That said I am past meno now and never had low ferritin when menstruating even though I ate very little meat for most of those years.

Leafy green veg and eggs would be your iron friend

Tuna is high iron according to google ( but not salmon ?)

Interesting, Im trying to increase my fish consumption

Years ago my mum would always mash up the bones of tinned salmon in with the salmon (which made me feel ill) and say it was good for her bones.

Haha, she'd be right about the fish bones containing calcium so good for preventing osteoporosis!
I am squeamish about them too though and awlays look for boneless if i can find it. Am a lightweight

Spinach slows down the absorption of calcium due to oxalates which can also cause kidney stones if you over do it. I love the stuff but go with moderation.

If one had low ferritin I doubt plant iron would make a dent tbh. Maybe floradix?