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Jo-Anne M. Rizzotto, M.Ed, R.D., L.D.N., C.D.E.

Jo-Anne Rizzotto, MEd, RDN, LDN, CDCES, is Director of Educational Services at the Joslin Diabetes Center and Harvard Medical School in Boston, MA. She is a registered dietitian and a certified diabetes educator with over 25 years of clinical, research, management and industry experience and is a key member of the clinic leadership team. Jo-Anne is co-chair and an active member of the National Certification Board of Diabetes Educators Exam Board. Jo-Anne has a proven track record of managing many facets of quality assurance and improvement with documented outcomes including advancing the use of technologies in the clinic for the management of diabetes. Jo-Anne establishes, directs and manages all aspects of diabetes education programs including overall direction, content, design, delivery, budgeting and staff management. She ensures all programs and staff delivering education meet the highest quality standards and do so with the highest level of efficiency and effectiveness. Jo-Anne participates in and has been the co-principle investigator in numerous clinical research studies. Jo-Anne chairs and participates in a variety of high level selection committees, clinical guideline committees, publication review committees and academic promotion committees. She also chairs the quality committee with the General Counsel at the Joslin in addition to the Clinic policy and procedure committee.

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Grilled or smoked chicken breast with bone and skin on a cutting board
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Nutritional Value of the Skin on Poultry

Ask the Expert
nutrition

Q:

Is the skin on fish bad for you like the skin on chicken?

A:

Like meat and poultry, fish and shellfish offer an excellent source of protein, yet unlike animal foods, all fish and shellfish are low in calories, fat, saturated fat and cholesterol. The fat in fish (salmon, swordfish, trout, mackerel, halibut, tuna) appears to promote heart health, whereas saturated fat found in red meat and poultry skin, is unhealthy and increases cholesterol levels.

Fish fat, which takes the form of oils, contains a certain type of fat, known as omega-3s. Omega-3s have anti-clotting properties and thus may be protective against heart disease and high blood pressure. Research suggests that the higher amount of fat in fish, the greater the cardiovascular benefit.

The skin of the chicken contains most of the saturated fat, whereas not much is known about the nutritional value of the skin on fish, as most people tend not to eat the skin and most fish come with the skin removed. Although the skin on fish may be healthy to eat, pregnant women, children and the elderly should avoid eating the skin on fish since contaminants (PCBs, mercury) may be present.

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