Only a few restaurants in the United States serve chicken kidneys. Yet, this delicacy remains popular in France and China. Chicken kidneys contain a broad range of medicinal nutrients, notes About-ChineseFood.Com. Scientists have used chicken kidneys to conduct important medical experiments. For example, a July 1993 report in “Biological Signals” showed that chicken kidneys contain melatonin receptors. This finding indicates that chicken kidneys provided antioxidants -- substances that fight aging. Delicacies can cause allergic reactions in some people. Speak with your doctor before consuming chicken kidneys.
Vitamin D
A 1996 report in “Gerontology” showed that chicken kidneys contain 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 1 alpha-hydroxylase. This enzyme converts 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 (25(OH)D3) to the active form of vitamin D. A September 2011 study in the "Canadian Journal of Public Health" showed that maintaining high levels of vitamin D might prevent colorectal cancer. Vitamin D deficiency causes a broad range of health problems, including rickets.
Serine
Consuming chicken kidneys provides an easy way to ensure that you have adequate amounts of the amino acid serine. A January 2011 report in “Acta Crystallographica” showed that chicken kidneys contain large amounts of D-serine dehydratase -- a marker for serine. A June 2011 paper in “Frontiers in Bioscience" showed that serine plays an important role in fighting cancer.
Arginine
A February 1975 report in the “Biochemical Journal” indicated that chicken kidneys contain arginine. The researchers also showed that the chicken kidney converts this amino acid into ornithine. Keeping the levels of the latter amino acid high should facilitate healing, according to a June 2010 article in “Polski Merkuriusz Lekarski.”
Sepiapterin
A study described in the March 1981 issue of the “Journal of Biological Chemistry” showed that chicken kidneys contain sepiapterin. The chicken kidney converts this chemical into pyruvate. Sepiapterin might provide a potential treatment for hardening of the arteries, according to an October 2002 review in “Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology.” Sepiapterin serves as a building block for many of the chemicals your brain uses for cell-to-cell communication.
Calcineurin
A 2007 report in the journal “Peptides” revealed that chicken kidneys contain genetic markers for natriuretic peptides such as calcineurin. These salt-releasing chemicals stimulate the immune system. It remains important to keep your calcineurin levels high as blocking them can lead to tumor development, according to a March 2011 article in “Cancer Research”.
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