Americans value nutrition of poultry

Americans value the nutrition and balance that meat and poultry products deliver in the diet according to the new research recently released by the North American Meat Institute (NAMI) and Food Marketing Institute (FMI).

The tenth annual Power of Meat report looks at meat and poultry trends through the shopper’s eyes and examined health and wellness trends for the first time. It found that 79 percent of shoppers put some or a lot of effort into making sure they make nutritious and balanced meat and poultry choices.

Poultry products valued for balance

However, perceptions of nutrition are a bit different for meat vs poultry products. For meat products, including beef, pork and lamb, nutrition benefits are most associated with nutrients, such as iron and protein, followed by their role in a balanced diet and providing energy. Consumers value poultry products, such as chicken or turkey, for the balance they provide in the diet, followed by the nutrients they offer and their contributions to maintaining a healthy weight.

Key part of a balanced diet

“Whether it’s protein for developing, maintaining and repairing muscles, Vitamin B12 for normal metabolism and mental clarity or iron for its variety of roles in the body, meat and poultry are a key part of a balanced diet,” said Barry Carpenter, President and CEO of the North American Meat Institute. “Consumers recognise this and as an industry we’re striving to offer a wide range of fresh and processed products to help Americans meet their nutrition goals.”

Price and convenience still rank above nutrition

Overall, price and convenience still rank above nutrition for shoppers when buying meat and poultry, and price is seen as the greatest challenge to making nutritious and healthful meat and poultry choices, cited by 75 percent of shoppers, but many do have strategies in place relative to health. Five in ten shoppers say their strategy is choosing leaner cuts with some regularity, and four in ten frequently limit portions and second helpings.