Chicken breast meat also contains key nutrients like magnesium, potassium, vitamins B\u00a0and D, and is lower in saturated fat than dark chicken meat.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
White Vs. Dark Chicken Meat<\/h2>\n
But what if you just don\u2019t like chicken breasts? Experts say dark meat is A-OK. \u201cWhite meat is lower in calories and fat, but dark meat has its own benefits,\u201d says Paige Bent\u00e9, M.S., R.D., C.S.S.D. \u201cIt\u2019s higher in myoglobin, an oxygen-carrying protein, and has more iron and zinc than light meat.\u201d<\/p>\n
The fat also tends to make dark chicken meat the go-to for people following\u00a0Paleo\u00a0or\u00a0ketogenic\u00a0diets, White adds. Plus, chicken thighs tend to be cheaper than chicken breasts.<\/p>\n
However, both Bent\u00e9 and White say eating white and dark meat is best. That way you get the different nutrients each provides. And no matter which you eat, be sure to remove the skin \u2014 that\u2019s just extra fat and calories, which none of us need.<\/p>\n
Can Chicken Help You Lose Weight?<\/h2>\n
It\u2019s not a magic weight-loss bullet, but since chicken is low in calories and high in protein it\u2019s a good meal option for people trying to lose weight.<\/p>\n
Studies suggest that eating meals with\u00a025 to 30 grams of protein reduces appetite\u00a0and is associated with greater weight loss, fat mass loss, and preservation of lean mass.<\/p>\n
And since protein helps build muscle mass, it also can increase your metabolism so you burn more calories, says White.<\/p>\n
To make things simple, use Ultimate Portion Fix containers\u00a0to keep track of how much protein you should be consuming to hit your goal.<\/p>\n
![\"chicken](\"https:\/\/bod-blog-assets.prod.cd.beachbodyondemand.com\/bod-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/Chicken-Breast-Nutrition-Facts.iStock-816366556.inpost2.jpg\" "\\"\\"")
<\/p>\n
How to Buy Chicken<\/h2>\n
As great as it seems, chicken does have a dark side \u2014 and this time we\u2019re not talking about thighs and legs.<\/p>\n
First, some chicken is treated with saltwater to \u201cplump\u201d it up. \u201cTo rapidly chill chicken after slaughter, whole chickens are submerged in large tanks of ice water,\u201d Bent\u00e9 explains. \u201cTo avoid being contaminated by the other chickens in the vats, the liquid can contain things like sodium, chlorine, and other preservatives, which the meat absorbs.\u201d<\/p>\n
Not only does that added weight mean you are paying for water, but you also could be eating extra sodium, which most of us don\u2019t need.<\/p>\n
Americans, on average, consume about\u00a03,400 milligrams of sodium per day\u00a0\u2014 well over the 2,300 milligram recommended daily limit.<\/p>\n
To avoid this, Bent\u00e9 recommends looking for air-chilled chicken. It may cost a little more but remember: You\u2019re not paying for water.<\/p>\n
If the label doesn\u2019t say \u201cair-chilled,\u201d check the nutrition facts label. If you see more than 100 milligrams of sodium listed for a three- to four-ounce serving, stay away, Bent\u00e9 says.<\/p>\n
The other thing you may want to consider is antibiotics, which are used to\u00a0prevent disease and promote growth\u00a0in animals.<\/p>\n
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), studies have linked antibiotic use in animals to\u00a0bacteria-resistant infections in humans.<\/p>\n
However, the USDA requires chickens to go through a \u201cwithdrawal\u201d period before they are slaughtered to ensure antibiotics don\u2019t end up on your dinner table.<\/p>\n
The good news: Top brands, like\u00a0Tyson\u00a0and\u00a0Perdue, have phased out antibiotic use in their flocks.<\/p>\n
At the store, look for labels that say \u201cNo Antibiotics Ever,\u201d \u201cRaised Without Antibiotics,\u201d or \u201cOrganic.\u201d<\/p>\n
![\"Chicken](\"https:\/\/bod-blog-assets.prod.cd.beachbodyondemand.com\/bod-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/Chicken-Breast-Nutrition-Facts.iStock-483160642.inpost3.jpg\" "\\"\\"")
<\/p>\n
Healthy Chicken Recipes<\/h2>\n
Now that you know what to buy, it\u2019s time to get cooking. One of the best things about chicken is that since it has a neutral flavor, you can easily prepare it in endless ways:<\/p>\n
Healthy preparation methods include\u00a0grilling,\u00a0baking, poaching, broiling, saut\u00e9ing, and braising.<\/p>\n
And whatever you do, don\u2019t forget to flavor your chicken since your basic bird is a blank canvas for marinades, chutneys, and more.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen you do your\u00a0meal prep, separate the chicken into three different compartments with foil to bake. Then use a different sauce, rub, or other flavorings for each section,\u201d White recommends.<\/p>\n
Lastly, remember that chicken goes in practically anything \u2014 you can make sandwiches, salads, quesadillas, chili, and more.<\/p>\n
For inspiration, check out these healthy\u00a0chicken recipes.<\/p>\n
Chicken Ciabatta Sandwiches With Homemade Chicken Patties<\/p>\n
Breaded Chicken Tenders With Lemon and Broccolini<\/p>\n
Healthy Chicken Parmesan<\/p>\n
Chicken Pot Pie<\/p>\n
Mexican Chicken Zucchini Boats<\/p>\n
Chicken and Black Bean Burrito Bowl<\/p>\n
Chicken Cacciatore<\/p>\n
Healthier General Tso\u2019s Chicken<\/p>\n
Chicken Breast With Feta and Artichoke<\/p>\n
Chicken and Mushroom Pasta<\/p>\n
Chicken Is Healthy \u2014 But It\u2019s Not Everything<\/h2>\n
But be sure you don\u2019t just eat chicken. \u201cI wouldn\u2019t want someone only eating spinach as their green vegetable,\u201d Bent\u00e9 says.<\/p>\n
\u201cVariety is a really important part of a healthy diet,\u201d she explains. \u201cYou get different macro and micronutrients from beef, tofu, fish, shellfish, lamb, buffalo, bison.\u201d<\/p>\n
Chicken, both white and dark, is a versatile, healthy food, but remember to eat a wide array of foods to get the most nutritional bang for your buck!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
For people who want to eat right and get fit, the chicken breast seems to be an integral part of any healthy recipe or\u00a0weight-loss meal plan. While chicken isn\u2019t necessarily superior to other sources of protein, such as beef, salmon, or tofu, there are plenty of good reasons why it\u2019s such a staple in many\u00a0nutrition […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3948,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3947","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-fitness"],"blocksy_meta":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/movewithnicole.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3947","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/movewithnicole.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/movewithnicole.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/movewithnicole.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/movewithnicole.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3947"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/movewithnicole.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3947\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3949,"href":"https:\/\/movewithnicole.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3947\/revisions\/3949"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/movewithnicole.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3948"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/movewithnicole.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3947"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/movewithnicole.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3947"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/movewithnicole.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3947"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}