What did you eat for dinner the other day? There is a high probability that it was a chicken. The meat of this bird is the most consumed in many countries of the world. At the same time, the popularity of chicken continues to grow at a tremendous pace. What is the use of chicken meat. Could it be harmful?
What is chicken and how did it become a staple?
Chicken (Gallus gallus domesticus), which today lands on your table, has roots dating back to 2000 BC. e., when a bird from the red jungle of Southeast Asia was domesticated in India. Today there is a huge mass of chicken breeds.
Chicken grown for sale in the form of meat and not for egg production is called a broiler. This species arose relatively recently. In 1923, in the United States, one female farmer won a major victory in this area: she raised a herd of 500 chickens for sale for meat, which was recognized as the first commercial success of broiler chicken.
What is the chemical composition of this product?
The nutritional value of chicken meat will vary depending on what you eat. For example, dark meat (thigh, drumstick) contains more calories per serving than white (breast). Preserving the skin will also add more fat, including saturated fat, to food. To make the food healthy, it is best to eat breasts without skin. A gram serving of such meat is distinguished by the following chemical composition:
- Calories: 165 (approximately 8% of the daily allowance).
- Protein: 31 grams (62%).
- Fat: 3.6 grams (6%).
- Saturated Fat: 1 gram (5%).
- Carbohydrates: 0 grams.
- Fiber: 0 grams.
- Sugar: 0 grams.
Is it useful?
As can be seen from the data on the nutritional and energy value of chicken, a skinless dish is an excellent source of low-fat protein. Chicken breast is an excellent protein product, characterized by low calorie content and a small amount of fat. More importantly, this meat is especially low in saturated fat (this type is associated with high cholesterol and heart disease). In addition, chicken is more than just protein. It contains B vitamins, such as thiamine (B 1 ), pyridoxine (B 6 ) and pantothenic acid (B 5 ), as well as minerals (iron, zinc and copper).
What are the benefits and harms of chicken? Many doctors claim that along with vegetables, fruits, and whole grains, people should prefer low-fat proteins, such as chicken and fish, rather than red meat (beef, pork, and lamb). But this does not mean that chicken can be eaten in unlimited quantities. Otherwise, the load on the kidneys increases. It is recommended that you limit your lean protein intake to 200 grams or less per day. Try to calculate your portion so that it is the size of a deck of cards (about a hundred grams).
Nutritional Information of Different Parts of Chicken
Despite the fact that chicken is lean meat with a lot of proteins, it can have a lot of cholesterol. Nevertheless, the effect of chicken on the body is more positive. It is a source of selenium, which contains antioxidants. They help control free radicals and improve your immune system.
100 grams of boiled chicken usually contains 239 calories. Of these 100 grams, 27 g will be pure protein, which is important for the growth and development of various organs in the body.
Different parts of the chicken have different levels of cholesterol and fat. This suggests that the benefits and harms of chicken can vary greatly. This difference is as follows:
- Breast (with skin) - 7.8 g, (without skin) - 3.6 g.
- Leg (with skin) - 11.2 g, (without skin) - 10.9 g.
- Thigh (with and without skin) - 25 g.
- Wing (with skin) - 27 g, (without skin) - 30 g.
Will chicken help to lose weight?
Chicken is not a panacea for weight loss, but its use is associated with a lower likelihood of being overweight or obese. Studies show that a high protein diet can help you lose weight, and chicken can certainly play a central role. Experts suspect that high-protein diets may help you feel more full, which will help you eat less calories and carbohydrates at your next meal. Ideally, consuming 25 to 30 grams of protein per meal can reduce your appetite, help you maintain a healthy weight, and improve cardiometabolic risk factors (such as triglycerides, blood pressure, and waist circumference).
The benefits and harms of chicken for men in this context look like this. On the one hand, this product helps to control weight and reduce cholesterol. From another point of view, men often consider chicken to be too light and not very satisfying product, as a result of which they consume it in large quantities. The main thing is to control the size of your own servings, as well as the right approach to choosing a culinary recipe.
The way you make chicken matters. The benefits and harms of chicken for the body depend on this directly. Methods such as baking, boiling, or grilling will give you far fewer calories and will help you lose weight compared to deep-fried or high-processed chicken foods (such as nuggets).
Effect on bones and teeth
The protein content in chicken helps to reduce bone loss. This is a major problem for women (30 years of age and older) and older people. Consuming 100 grams of chicken breast would be enough to satisfy half your daily protein requirement. In addition, phosphorus in chicken helps maintain healthy teeth and bones and ensures the proper functioning of the kidneys, liver and central nervous system. Therefore, the benefits of chicken for the spine and joints are obvious.
Effects on metabolism
Since selenium is present in considerable quantities in chicken meat, its use will mean an increase in metabolic rate, especially the thyroid hormone. In addition, this bird is able to improve the antioxidant defense system and immune function of the body. Thus, the effect of chicken on hormones is scientifically proven. Eating this low-fat meat, you improve hormonal metabolism in your body.
Cancer protection
Oddly enough, but it is. The benefits of chicken are proven here. Chicken is rich in niacin - a special type of vitamin B that protects the body from cancer and other genetic problems.
Benefits for the child's body
Chicken is a good source of protein, which is the main building material of the body. The effect of chicken on the children's body is very positive, since it has a small amount of fat. But before you add the chicken to your child’s plate, you need to understand whether he is ready for this, and whether his body can digest it.
A child can start eating chicken after he is six months old if he can chew solid food. The introduction of meat in the diet should be a gradual process. You can mashed boiled chicken and give no more than two tablespoons every day.
Best ways to cook chicken for kids
If you want to start giving your baby chicken, you need to know how to do it. Below are a few recommended ways to introduce meat into a children's diet. In such cases, the benefit of chicken will be maximum.
Bake the fillet at a temperature of 190 degrees Celsius for 20 minutes. You will need to cut it into small, even pieces before baking. After baking, you can make mashed potatoes or grind it in a food processor for children over 12 months old.
Cut the chicken into thin slices and fill with water. Cook until the slices are completely cooked. You can strain the broth and use it for another dish, or make mashed chicken with the liquid in which it was prepared.
Stew small slices of fillet in a pan with enough water to cover each slice with the juices secreted. You will need to cook it for 30 minutes or more, and then grind it in mashed potatoes. This is the best way to cook chicken, as it kills pathogens and softens meat as much as possible.
Can children experience allergic reactions to chicken?
You should be careful when introducing any new products to your child’s menu. Allergic reactions are always possible. Always give one new product at a time. If you notice any adverse reactions, consult a doctor immediately.
Children with sensitive digestive and immune systems are at risk of developing a reaction to chicken. Although cooking can reduce your baby’s allergens, you should always monitor his condition. Symptoms of allergies can be as follows:
- Edema: swollen face, neck, eyelids, throat and nose. It may also be difficult for your child to open his eyes or breathe.
- Abdominal pain: abdominal cramps or pain along with diarrhea and vomiting.
- Skin rash or hives: itchy red bumps on the body.
- Fatigue: weakness and passivity in a child.
Can I add salt to my baby’s chicken stock?
Do not add salt when cooking chicken soup for children. It is also better not to salt any food you give your child when he is even younger than a year. This will allow him to feel and taste the natural taste of the products without any additions.
Is it good for people with diabetes?
What are the benefits and harms of chicken for the body of patients with diabetes? Of course, the benefits of this bird are much greater than harm. This is a great source of protein for any diabetic nutritional plan, but with a few caveats. Chicken must be cooked without adding a lot of fat, sugar or salt.
First of all, you should choose the least fat parts of the carcass. Chicken breast is the most lean cut (even with skin), while the hips and lower legs can contain a lot of fat.
Buy organic farm products if you have the opportunity. They are more likely to not contain antibiotics. In addition, such chicken is usually completely non-greasy, because without chemical additives, chickens grow and gain weight more slowly.
If possible, take the chicken without vacuum packaging. Most poultry are treated with water (sometimes with the addition of chemicals) before packaging, which leads to the preservation of water in the meat. Naturally chilled chicken does not go through this process.
However, even the standard non-farm chicken from any grocery store is still an excellent source of healthy protein, so you should definitely not ignore it. This bird can become harmful only if it is cooked in sauces containing sugar and many spices or fried in fat.
How to cook chicken on a diabetic diet?
Since the benefits of chicken for the human body are not disputed, you should include it in your diet. To lower blood sugar. When using this bird, follow the tips below.
Remove the skin before cooking. If possible, use boneless and skinless chicken breasts. They contain less fat than other chicken parts. In most recipes, chicken breasts can replace other parts of the carcass. If you cook chicken on the stove, use a cooking spray, low salt broth, or olive oil instead of butter.
Shredded fillet is ideal for making healthy chicken sandwiches, rolls and salads. Some recipes require chopping freshly cooked chicken with two forks. Instead, use a stand mixer or a food processor set to low speed. These devices will do the work for you in seconds.
Boiled chicken breasts are great for making warm or cold chicken salads and casseroles. To cook the chicken, add the boneless skinless breasts to the pan and fill them with water or broth, put the desired seasonings. Bring the mixture to a boil over low heat, then reduce it to a minimum. Cover the pot and simmer until cooked. With this treatment, the benefit of chicken for the body is maximum.
Cooking chicken in the oven helps keep it juicy. To cook a baked bird, lightly rub the raw carcass with olive oil and season with your favorite spices. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees and bake the chicken until its internal temperature reaches 73 degrees (about 30 minutes, depending on the size of the pieces).
Avoid chicken cutlet recipes that use concentrated soups, sauces, and high-sodium broths, rich cheeses, and ready-made sugar-based dressings. Choose foods that contain vegetables, spices, brown rice, legumes, Greek yogurt, fruits, and unsalted broths.
How to choose and store chicken?
Since the use of chicken meat for the body is great, it is worth consuming it not only for children and adherents of diets, but for everyone. The following tips are for everyone, without exception. When you go to the grocery store, make a plan. First buy items such as cereals, dried pasta, canned beans, and other packaged long-term foods. Then go to fruits and vegetables. Finally, stop at dairy and meat or fish dishes. The purchase of meat last of all ensures that it will be kept at room temperature for a minimum amount of time. When buying a packaged bird, pay attention to the packaging dates and expiration dates. Do not buy chicken after this time.
Sometimes the packaging contains an indication of the category of bird. This determines the quality of the product. Category 1 means that the chicken is thick, fleshy, has clean skin, and has no damage or discoloration.
It is also necessary to read which ingredients are added to the meat. Some manufacturers add salt to the chicken or add marinade to improve juiciness. If you have high blood pressure, you should stay away from this type of meat. You better pickle the chicken by hand so you can control the amount of sodium.
Regardless of the category, any chicken you buy should be well wrapped and undamaged (the packaging must not be torn or leaked). As soon as you bring your purchases home, place the carcass in the refrigerator or freezer. To facilitate defrosting, wrap the pieces in smaller packages (frost-resistant foil or plastic bags).
For your food to be of high quality, use whole chicken for one year after freezing (separate pieces should be consumed for nine months). To make sure you remember the deadlines, mark each packaging on the date it was frozen.
How to cook chicken right?
Good cooking begins with a safe diet. Only in this way you will get the maximum benefit from chicken meat. After purchasing the chicken, make sure that you have cooled it for two hours. Your refrigerator should be set to 4 degrees or lower. Only then proceed with its preparation.
Plan your meals so that you cook your chicken breast or other parts within two days of your purchase. Otherwise, wrap the packaging with safe cling film and freeze. This will allow you to save the chicken for further safe consumption. During thawing, it is important to keep the meat at a temperature of +4 degrees or lower. If placed in warmer conditions, bacteria can begin to multiply very quickly.
When thawing chicken, do not do the following:
- Do not defrost it in a sink or in hot water.
- Do not leave frozen foods at room temperature for more than two hours.
- Take the carcass out of the freezer and thaw in the refrigerator for 24 hours. Prepare meals from it for a day or two. You can freeze it back at this time if your plans change, but this can lead to a loss in product quality.
- Defrost in cold water when you need to do it quickly. Submerge the carcass in cold tap water and change it every 30 minutes. How long it takes depends on the weight of the chicken. On average, a pound of product defrosts in an hour. A microwave is also safe for this, but in this case, you should immediately cook the chicken.
In addition, you can cook chicken frozen. Put it in the oven and set the time to 50 percent more.
How to cook chicken?
Since the benefits of white chicken are much greater, try to buy only breasts. It’s best to bake them. If you use boneless chicken breasts, you should calculate about 123-130 grams per person (the serving will be reduced to about one hundred grams). Bake at 180 0 From 20-30 minutes, such slices. If you took breasts with bones, it will take 30 to 40 minutes to cook them in the oven at the same temperature.
Remember that breast size may vary. Therefore, instead of paying attention to the exact cooking time, measuring the internal temperature is the most important indicator. The chicken must reach a temperature of at least 73 degrees. Insert the food thermometer into the thickest part of the piece, preventing it from touching the bones.
Can a chicken be harmful?
Having found out what are the benefits and harms of chicken for the body, it is worth noting the following. Chicken is a popular meat. If you are a lover of this type of product, you should enjoy it to the fullest. However, this can lead to diseases of the digestive tract. In its raw form, the bird may be infected with bacteria such as Salmonella, Campylobacter and Clostridium perfringens. Improper preparation, storage, or cross-contamination of raw chicken juices can result in poisoning. Unfortunately, when it comes to complications from food poisoning, it is poultry that is most often responsible for the death of a person.
To reduce the risk of infection, put all packages of raw chicken in a disposable bag, wash your hands before and after handling the chicken, and do not wash raw chicken (this can spatter chicken juices on kitchen surfaces). Be sure to use a separate cutting board for raw poultry.
If you get sick, be sure to consult a doctor, especially if your temperature has risen above 38 degrees, diarrhea has been disturbing for more than three days, bloody stools or vomiting has been going on for a long time.