Jhabua (Madhya Pradesh): Krishi Vigyan Kendra of Jhabua in Madhya Pradesh has urged the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) to prescribe 'Kadaknath' therapy from the state's black-feathered poultry breed for those recovering from post-COVID-19 complications.
In the letter to the Director-General of ICMR, Krishi Vigyan Kendra senior scientist and head has claimed that Kadaknath (a rare breed of black chicken) based products-meat, eggs and soup, could provide necessary nutritional support for the recovery of post-COVID-19 patients.
"As we know that nutritional therapy appears as the first line of treatment for the post-COVID-19 patient and optimum intake of all nutrients, mainly those playing crucial roles in the immune system, should be given through diverse and well-balanced diet," the letter dated July 8 read.
The Madhya Pradesh research centre has suggested: "Kadaknath meat, Kadaknath eggs and their extract (Rasayanam) prepared from Kadaknath meat for post-COVID-19 patient's diets." Krishi Vigyan Kendra said Kadaknath based products contain nutrients like 'PUFA (EPA), DHA (22:6), Zinc, Iron Vitamin-C, essential amino acids, and other vitamins,' which plays a pivotal role in disease susceptibility and maintenance of immune function.
The letter also includes information about the nutritional value of the kadaknath chickens as researched by the National Meat Research Centre (NMRC, Hyderabad). It has also attached report published in an international journal.
Madhya Pradesh has a Geographical Indication registry of Kadaknath, which is native to MP's Jhabua region mostly reared by tribal communities.
