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Chicken and the nutritional benefits that it contains
Chicken for some is the most common protein in our diet. While eating chicken, have you ever thought about how it might affect your health?
So what are the health advantages of chicken in your diet?
Facts about Chicken
Chicken is rich in protein
When it comes to a protein source, there’s nothing like chicken, as it is one of the top sources of quality protein. To understand the impact of chicken on the body, we need to think of protein quality being determined by the amino acids it contains.
There are 11 amino acids that are naturally produced by our body and the other nine that we must get from food.
Chicken contains these 9 amino acids which means that it completes the proteins our body requires. This will however depend on the quality of the cut we get and the quality of meat.
Carbs and Fat
Chicken is free of carbohydrates which is why they tend to be the foundation for diets that concentrate on the low carbs and high-protein meals. Nonetheless, some cuts might already be using additives that boost the carb count, such as frozen chicken or market rotisserie chicken.
On the other hand, chicken does come with its fair share of fat, depending on the meat cut. For instance, chicken breasts contain no more than 1.5g of fat for each 3oz serving.
However, the thighs contribute 6.75g of fat on a serving of a similar size. That is why we must learn how to balance and pick light cuts.
Minerals and Vitamins
Protein, fat, and carbs are the main part of a group that’s called macronutrients, yet we can also find a huge range of micronutrients or vitamins, in chicken.
Some of these nutrients include Vitamin B3, B6, B2, Selenium, Riboflavin, and potassium. This is why chicken has always been a key part of any healthy diet and it looks like it’ll remain like that for several years to come.
Calories in Chicken Breasts
Another great advantage of chicken is that it’s relatively low in calories, particularly chicken breasts. Even when the actual number of calories you get depends on the type of meat, the cut, and how you prepare it.
Though, we can say that, for instance, a 3oz, serving of boneless and skinless chicken breasts would come with around 90 calories. Now, if we’re talking about a whole bird, we’re likely to get somewhere around 850 calories in a pound of chicken. Again, this depends on how we prepare it and cook it, so bear that in mind.
Major Health advantages of eating chicken
- Chicken provides Essential vitamins and minerals involved in brain function – Chicken contains B12 Vitamin and Choline, which in combination can promote brain development in kids, help the nerve system, and help overall cognition.
- Contains nutrients linked with mood - Chicken has tryptophan amino acids that are responsible for raising serotonin levels in our brain. Serotonin is the feel-good neurochemical linked to a good mood.
- Chicken meat is easy to eat – For those who struggle with swallowing or chewing foods, or with changes in taste, chicken meat is a versatile source of top-quality protein.
- Chicken meat strengthens bones – Chicken meat is a great source of dietary protein. It can benefit bone health.
- Chicken meat builds muscle – With just 30g of chicken meat at each meal you can assist with muscle growth and development
- Chicken aids in fat loss – Lean chicken meat is a key source of protein that the body can use for managing fat and normal blood sugar.
- Chicken promotes heart health – Chicken meat provides under-consumed vitamins and minerals, and can be the centre of the plate for a heart-healthy, low cholesterol diet, low fat such as the DASH diet.
Healthy ways to cook chicken meat
Preparing grilled chicken is a wise decision if you want to take advantage of the nutritional benefits of chicken. For an even healthier option add some veggies to the mix.
Baking chicken is a great way to keep all of the nutritional benefits of chicken ready for consumption.
Avoid frying chicken as it reduces a lot of the nutritional benefits of chicken and replaces them with fat and non-beneficial calories.
Not keen on cooking the chicken yourself? Take a look at our Cooked Chicken breast package
If you are looking for a meat wholesaler company that delivers then talk to us.
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