You probably know that chicken is a low-calorie, high-protein food. It’s also a nutrient-dense protein that’s lean and almost fat-free. For these reasons, chicken is often included in weight-loss diet plans. However, it isn’t helpful for weight loss in and of itself. Even so, chicken can be an effective part of a weight-loss diet as long as you choose the right preparation methods and pair it with the right side dishes to keep your calorie intake low. Read on to learn more about how chicken affects your weight and what strategies you can use to eat it while losing weight.
Is chicken good for weight loss?
No, chicken isn’t good for weight loss. If you are trying to lose weight, the best food choice is low-calorie and low-fat. Chicken is high in protein and fat, which can be more likely to make you gain weight. Instead of eating chicken, opt for leaner protein sources like fish and beans. Additionally, try to avoid adding excess calories and fat using dressings, sauces, and starters.
How to Lose Weight with Chicken
1. The Right Preparation Methods
Chicken contains high amounts of protein and fat. These nutrients are important for growth, but they can also contribute to weight gain if you eat more calories than you burn. To lose weight, find ways to keep your calorie intake low and reduce your fat intake. Use low-calorie, low-fat cooking methods to prepare your chicken and other foods high in protein and fat. If you have the time, broil or grill your chicken instead of frying it in a pan. Cooking your chicken this way will reduce the amount of calories you’ll consume while still retaining its nutritional value.
2. Pairing Chicken With A Low-Fat Side Dish
You can use any type of protein as a weight loss food if you pair it with a side dish containing low-fat ingredients such as vegetables or legumes. For example, if you’re eating grilled chicken breast, try adding some roasted vegetables or baked beans on the side to increase the volume of food without adding unwanted calories.
3. Eating Chicken With A Low-Calorie Dressing Or Sauce
Some chicken dishes are high in fat and calories, so you might need to use a low-calorie dressing or sauce to make them more healthful. For example, if you’re eating chicken with a creamy mayonnaise-based salad dressing, try using balsamic vinegar instead of oil for a healthier alternative without sacrificing flavor.
4. Pairing Chicken With Vegetables Or Legumes
Most of the time, you can easily find vegetables and legumes in your local grocery store that pair well with chicken breast. Try adding vegetables such as broccoli or carrots to your grilled chicken breast for an extra serving of vegetables while still enjoying the taste of classic fried chicken. If you’re planning on preparing baked beans instead of fried ones, try adding some raw green beans to the dish for extra fiber and flavor without adding unnecessary calories to your meal.
5. Using Chicken As A Side Dish
You can also use chicken as a side dish for your main meal by pairing it with vegetables or legumes such as baked beans, steamed vegetables, or brown rice. If you’re trying to lose weight, choose foods from the list below instead of unhealthy fried foods.
6. Cooking With Olive Oil And Vinegar
Olive oil has been shown to increase satiety, which means that it takes longer for people to eat their full serving of food when they use olive oil instead of other oils such as canola and vegetable oil. This is because olive oil contains monounsaturated fats that are known to be good for the heart and help lower cholesterol levels in the body. You can also add vinegar or lemon juice to your chicken breast recipe if you want to add some flavor without adding unnecessary calories.
7. Using Whole, Dark Meat Chicken Breasts
You can eat whole, dark chicken breasts without worrying about the high-fat content of these types of chicken breasts. This is because you can remove the skin from the chicken breast before cooking or serve them with a skin-free side dish, such as steamed broccoli or brown rice. When buying whole, dark chicken breasts, look for poultry that has been raised on pasture and is free from antibiotics and hormones.
8. Cooking With Bone-In Chicken Breasts
Bone-in chicken breasts are high in protein and low in fat, so they’re great for people who want to lose weight and keep their bodies in healthy condition. You can easily remove the bones with a knife before cooking or serve them with a skin-free side dish such as steamed broccoli or brown rice to decrease the number of calories that you need to consume while still enjoying the taste of classic fried chicken.
Health Benefits of Chicken for Weight Loss
1. Chicken Is A Good Source Of Protein
Chicken and other types of poultry are great sources of protein because they’re high in amino acids, which are the building blocks of protein. This means that you’ll get plenty of protein in your meals, even if you eat only one chicken breast.
2. Chicken Is A Good Source Of Iron
Iron is an important mineral for people who want to lose weight because it helps the body produce red blood cells and oxygen-carrying hemoglobin. You can get iron from many different foods, including dark leafy greens, lean beef, and fish. However, iron from meat tends to be more absorbable than iron from plant sources because meat contains more heme iron than non-meat sources do. Heme iron comes from animal tissue or blood that contains hemoglobin and is found naturally in red meat such as beef or pork as well as seafood such as shrimp and scallops.
3. Chicken Is A Good Source Of Vitamin B12
B12 is an important vitamin because it’s needed to produce red blood cells and help the body form DNA and other proteins. Vitamin B12 also helps your body absorb iron, so you can get plenty of both vitamins if you eat chicken. Because chicken is a good source of vitamin B12, it’s a good idea to include it in your diet if you’re trying to lose weight.
4. Chicken Is A Good Source Of Protein
Chicken and other types of poultry are great sources of protein because they’re high in amino acids, which are the building blocks of protein. This means that you’ll get plenty of protein in your meals, even if you eat only one chicken breast.
5. Chicken Is A Good Source Of Vitamin D
Vitamin D helps your body absorb calcium and magnesium, which are important for bone health and muscle strength when you’re trying to lose weight. You can get vitamin D from many different foods including chicken that has been raised on pasture and has access to the sun.
Disadvantages of Chicken for Weight Loss
1. Chicken Is High In Fat
Chicken is a fairly high-fat food, which means that it has more calories per gram than other foods do. For this reason, you’d be better off choosing lean cuts of chicken instead of the ones that are higher in fat. If you want to lose weight and keep your weight loss going, it’s best to choose leaner cuts of chicken as well as less fatty cuts.
2. Chicken Is High In Cholesterol
Even though chicken is high in fat, it’s still a good source of cholesterol because most people need some cholesterol to get enough from their diet. However, if your cholesterol levels are already high, then you’ll want to limit your intake of chicken until they’re normal again. Also, if you have heart disease or diabetes, you’ll want to avoid eating too much chicken since these conditions can make your cholesterol levels even higher than they would be otherwise.
3. Chicken Contains A Lot Of Sodium
You can find a lot of sodium in chicken, which means that you’ll want to limit your intake of it if you’re trying to lose weight. If you eat too much sodium, then you’ll end up losing water weight but not the fat that’s stored in your body.
4. Chicken Contains A Lot Of Gluten
Although chicken is low in gluten, it still contains gluten because people who are sensitive to gluten can’t digest it properly and will be more likely to experience symptoms such as diarrhea and bloating after eating chicken. If you have celiac disease or non-celiac gluten sensitivity, then you should avoid eating chicken because these conditions can affect how your body reacts to gluten.
5. Chicken Contains A Lot Of Phosphorus
Phosphorus is a mineral that helps many different parts of the body work properly and helps keep bones strong so they don’t break easily when you’re trying to lose weight. However, too much phosphorus can cause bone loss over time, which can lead to osteoporosis and make it more difficult for you to lose weight.
Conclusion
In general, the type or amount of calories in chicken doesn’t directly affect weight loss. The calories in the chicken are similar to the calories in any other protein-rich food. Chicken breast, which is the most commonly eaten part of the bird, contains approximately 100 calories per breast. Leg quarters, another popular piece of chicken, has approximately 350 calories per serving.
