Should You Eat Chicken Breast for Protein?

Ashu’s Dilemma

Hi Guys, I am Ashu & back with a question in mind that should we eat chicken breast to fulfil our need for protein?

This question came to my mind when I was debating with my friend with whom I often visit the gym for bodybuilding. When we were considering adding foods high in protein to our diet, he suggested for chicken breast.

But I have never heard from anyone about eating chicken breast for protein. So, I need some clarity about it.

I know where I can get better information about chicken breast benefits and its nutritional value. So, I am again on Know Ur Diet to get a better understanding. Let us discuss what I found on it:

What is Chicken Breast?

Chicken breast is the meat from the upper chest area of chicken that is considered nutritious and best in quality. Meat from this area is boneless means you can utilize it in a better way than the meat from other parts of the chicken.

A major reason chicken breast is so popular among youngsters is that it is a great source of protein and a good number of GenZ are focused on muscle development and healthy eating.

Calories & Nutritional Value of Chicken Breast

As we have emphasised above, chicken breast is preferred because of its high protein content, but there are other nutrients for which you should have added it to your meal.

Source: www.nutritionix.com

Health Benefits of Chicken Breast

Breast is the best part of chicken meat based on nutritional content but there are certain chicken breast benefits as well for eating it for a longer period:

Helps in Muscle Development

The primary reason why you should eat a good quantity of chicken breast is that it is a rich source of lean protein. Protein is required by the human body to make, repair and develop muscle tissues.

Protein should be added to the meals of youngsters and adults as they need it for faster body development. If you are a regular gym goer or an athlete then you should opt for chicken breast to fulfil your protein needs.

Read more: 10 Best Options for Pre-Workout Foods to lose Weight

Good for a Healthy Heart

Yes, eating chicken breast is good for your heart because it is low in cholesterol and unhealthy fats. Only one-third of the fats in chicken breast are saturated while others are unsaturated which can improve heart health.

Similarly, Vitamin B6 in chicken breast is also essential for maintaining a healthy heart. Studies have proved that those who have Vitamin B6 in their diet are at low risk of having a heart attack.

Boosts Immunity

This might surprise you but chicken breast can positively impact your immunity. There are certain vitamins & minerals in the chicken breast that are considered essential to strengthen the immunity of the person.

Zinc, Vitamin B & Iron are minerals that are effective against respiratory diseases. Due to this reason, it is recommended to drink chicken soup during cold & coughing. Consuming chicken breast during winter can also help with lung congestion as well.

Aids in Weight Management

For most of us, weight management is the primary goal and chicken breast can be helpful in your efforts to achieve that goal. If you are a person who prefers to eat meat at least once a day then chicken breast is a great substitute to other meats like red meat, lamb and pork.

Not only this, but protein in the breast is great for boosting metabolism. A faster metabolism is required for burning calories at a higher pace and energy generation for an active lifestyle.

Good for Digestion

If you are struggling with digestion problems then, eating chicken breast can be a great option to resolve it. The reason is simple, chicken breast has no dietary fibers in it. This makes chicken breast easy to digest without causing problems like bloating, indigestion and diarrhoea.     

Supports Haemoglobin

Minerals in chicken such as Iron and Vitamin B6 can help you with haemoglobin. Haemoglobin is a process that develops new blood cells in the body for healthy growth of the body.

Moreover, the presence of selenium and phosphorus in it can help in protecting the DNA from any damage by free radicals.   

Improves Eye Sight

People who are struggling with poor vision, especially the old age group must consider adding chicken breast to their diet. Zinc in chicken breast is effective in delaying age-related vision loss and reduces the risk of macular degeneration.

Promotes Bone Strength

Another reason why you should eat chicken breast is that it can strengthen your bones. This is because certain minerals like calcium, zinc and phosphorus in it accelerate the growth of new bone cells. These cells are needed for repairing bones and preventing the risk of bone fracturing.

How much Chicken Breast you should eat in a single meal?

Your intake of chicken breast highly depends on your body’s requirement for protein. But as per dietitians, you should not consume chicken breast more than 3-4 ounces or 85-115 grams of it in a single meal. If you are a gym goer or athlete and need to add more chicken breast protein then, you can increase the quantity as much as 140-150 grams per meal.

5-Easy to make Chicken Breast recipes

After discussing chicken breast benefits let us discuss some easy recipes that are simple to make at home with less effort.

Chicken Salad

If you want to enjoy chicken breast nutrition along with the benefits of raw vegetables then this salad recipe is for you.

You can have it post-workout session to get protein for muscle recovery and development. Also, you can consider it for the morning breakfast before a workout.

Grilled Chicken Breast

Grilled chicken from the breast meat can be a great option for your lunch. Make this recipe flavorful and tasty by adding Indian spices like cumin powder and black pepper.

Not only that, this mouth-watering dish can be served at kitty parties and anniversaries. Grilled chicken is tastier because of the smoky flavour it gets while cooking.  

Chicken Sandwich

If you love sandwiches then this recipe should be in your meal plan. You can have it post-workout and you can even consider this recipe for outings and picnics as well.

To make this recipe healthier, use brown bread slices rather than white bread. Also, to enhance taste you can have coriander or mint chutney.

Chicken Shawarma

In recent years Shawarma has become a popular dish in India & you can make a healthy Chicken Shawarma at home. You can also enjoy this recipe for snacking or serving your guests on special occasions.

If you want to add some veggies with it then go for cabbage, tomato, lettuce, onion and other Indian spices as well. As a dipper try mint or coriander chutney with it.

Chicken Soup

In your childhood, your mother might have given you chicken soup as a cure for cold & coughing. But the same recipe is healthy and nutritious for you. Water in the soup is good for hydrating your body.     

Also, adding Indian spices like cumin powder, cardamon and black pepper makes it flavorful and nutritious. You can even put some mushroom & lemon grass in it.

Chicken Breast Side Effects

Although we have discussed chicken breast benefits, there are some health risks associated with chicken breast. Some of these are:

Allergic Reaction

There are some cases when people after consuming chicken meat have observed allergic reactions such as digestive issues including diarrhea and vomiting. Also, there can be severe allergic symptoms like difficulty in breathing & loss of consciousness.

Kidney Disease

Those who suffer from kidney-related issues like urinary tract infections or kidney stones, are advised to avoid eating any chicken meat including breast. This is because high protein intake can accelerate the problem.

Conclusion

So, in the end, I can say that eating chicken breast can provide you multiple health benefits especially helpful in muscle development & repair.

Although we consider Chicken breast for protein, you can have other advantages like it can help in weight management along with improving heart and bone health.

Chicken breast nutrition includes Protein, Fats, Calcium, Iron, Zinc, Vitamins B6 & D.

But, you can observe some health risks like allergic reactions and kidney problems from over-consuming chicken breast.