Have you ever been told to take the skin off the chicken before eating it? Maybe by someone who wasn’t entirely sure why, but seemed convinced that eating that skin would kill you?
Eat the Whole Animal
Good news. They were so, so wrong. If you’ve spent any significant time in looking into this diet called “Paleo”, you’ve probably heard the recommendation to eat the whole animal, including the skin, but why?
Nutrients in Animal Skin
Aside from the fact that animal skins are an excellent source of saturated fat (which we actually need), they also provide micronutrients that the muscle meat is lacking, such as collagen and gelatin. Although they don’t get much attention from the press, these nutrients are essential for building and maintaining healthy joints, nails, hair and skin. Not to mention the fact that eating the whole animal means nothing goes to waste and we aren’t overburdening the environment, which benefits everyone!
Mark Sisson gives animal skin his Primal seal of approval right here.
