Chicken Nutrition Facts

Chicken is a popular choice for lean protein because it packs a lot of protein into a single meal while low in fat. It’s also simple to prepare at home and readily available in most eateries. No matter what style of cuisine you’re consuming, chicken dishes may be found on almost any menu. However, you might be curious about the calorie content of the Chicken on your dish. Breasts, thighs, wings, and drumsticks are among the many cuts of Chicken available, and each cut has a varied calorie count and a distinct protein-to-fat ratio. To know chicken nutrition facts, read further.

Chicken

Chicken Nutrition Facts

chicken nutrition facts

How Many Calories In Chicken?

Here are the details about calories in chicken breast, thigh, wing, and more:

  • Chicken breast is a low-fat protein source with no carbohydrates. Two hundred eighty-four calories per chicken breast, or 165 calories per 3.5 ounces (100 grams). Protein accounts for about 80% of the calories, whereas fat accounts for 20%.
  • One chicken thigh has 109 calories per 3.5 ounces, or 209 calories total (100 grams). It has a protein content of 53% and a fat content of 47%.
  • One chicken wing contains 43 calories every 3.5 ounces, for a total of 203 calories per 3.5 ounces (100 grams). It has a protein content of 64% and a fat content of 36%.
  • One chicken drumstick contains 76 calories every 3.5 ounces, for a total of 172 calories per 3.5 ounces (100 grams). It has a protein content of 70% and a fat content of 30%.
  • The calorie content of different chicken pieces varies. The least calorie-dense meat is light meat, while the most calorie-dense meat is chicken tenders.

Protein in Chicken

When determining the quality of a protein, it’s helpful to look at the amino acids it contains. Your body requires a total of 20 primary amino acids daily, and you can manufacture 11 of them yourself, but the remaining nine must come from your diet. The 11 amino acids that your body can generate on its own are known as nonessential amino acids. In contrast, the nine amino acids you must obtain from your food are essential amino acids. Chicken is frequently a high-quality protein source since it includes all nine essential amino acids and is thus a complete protein. Because it is low in collagen, a connective protein that makes tougher meats like steak difficult to digest, it is also easily digested by the body.

ere is a table describing the nutritional values of chicken:

Nutrient Amount per 100 grams
Calories 165
Protein 31 grams
Fat 3.6 grams
Saturated Fat 1.0 grams
Monounsaturated Fat 1.2 grams
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.8 grams
Cholesterol 82 milligrams
Sodium 70 milligrams
Potassium 290 milligrams
Vitamin A 1% of daily value
Vitamin C 0% of daily value
Calcium 1% of daily value
Iron 4% of daily value
Vitamin B-6 25% of daily value
Vitamin B-12 5% of daily value
Magnesium 3% of daily value
Zinc 5% of daily value

It’s important to note that the nutritional values may vary slightly depending on the specific cut of chicken and how it’s cooked. Additionally, the daily values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet and may be different for individual needs.

Health Benefits of Protein

High-quality protein is frequently praised for aiding weight loss and maintenance. High-protein diets have increased metabolism, reduced appetite, and a lower overall calorie intake. Protein can aid weight loss while still preserving lean muscle mass, according to a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition in April 2015. It isn’t only about your weight, though.

According to another study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition in April 2015, getting enough high-quality protein may help reduce the development of sarcopenia, or muscle loss due to aging, as you become older. Protein consumption is currently recommended at 0.8 grams per kilogram (2.2 pounds) of body weight per day.

That means you’ll need around 55 grams of protein per day if you’re 150 pounds. However, the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition reports that this suggestion may be too low. Researchers recommend 1.2 to 1.6 grams per kilogram of body weight for best weight loss and 1.0 to 1.5 grams per kilogram to assist preserve muscle strength as people age.

Chicken Breast Calories

Chicken also has a low-calorie count. Around 90 calories are contained in a 3-ounce boneless, skinless chicken breast serving. The exact amount of calories is in a serving of chicken thighs, which is 120 calories. If you’re preparing a whole chicken, a pound of Chicken should have roughly 850 calories.

According to a paper published in Food and Nutrition Research in June 2015, leaving the skin on your Chicken can boost the number of calories by 25 to 30% due to the more outstanding fat content in the skin. Calories are also affected by cooking methods. Cooking with more oil, such as frying or sautéing, adds calories; dry cooking methods, such as baking and roasting, don’t.

Carbohydrates and Fat in Chicken

Like most meats and poultry, Chicken contains no carbs, regardless of the cut. Chicken is a good choice for low-carb, high-protein diets because of this nutritional fact. Remember that cooked Chicken, such as rotisserie chicken from the supermarket, and frozen Chicken may contain carbohydrate-boosting chemicals such as sugar.

White flesh chicken is minimal in fat, with only 1.5 grams per 3-ounce serving, similar to chicken breast. The fat content of dark meat chicken, which is primarily found in the thighs, is much greater, with 6.75 grams of fat per serving. The majority of this fat is saturated fat, which has sparked a lot of debate in the nutrition industry.

Saturated Fat

While some claim that saturated fat causes heart disease, a 2015 study published in the BMJ suggests that you may not need to be concerned. According to the experts, saturated fat is not as closely linked to heart disease as previously believed. Saturated fat intake was not substantially connected with increased heart disease risk and may lessen the risk of some forms of stroke, according to a study published in The Lancet in August 2017.

Another study published in the BMJ in June 2018 weighed in, claiming that the gap could be due to many investigations focusing on the effects of dietary fats on their own rather than the complete package. In other words, Chicken has other nutrients, such as protein and B vitamins, in addition to saturated fat, that works together to promote good health rather than destroy it.

Other Nutrition Facts About Chicken

Chicken

The Chicken’s micronutrients, or vitamins and minerals, are just as vital as the macronutrients — protein, fat, and carbohydrates. A 3-ounce serving of chicken breast also contains the following ingredients:
  • Niacin (vitamin B3): 52 percent of your daily needs
  • Selenium: 31 percent of your daily needs
  • Vitamin B6: 25 percent of your daily needs
  • Riboflavin (vitamin B2): 12 percent of your daily needs
  • Potassium: 9 percent of your daily needs
Chicken, whether white or dark meat, appears to have a place in a healthy diet based on these general nutrition facts. Of course, like with any nutrition advice, you must determine what works best for you.

How To Cook Your Chicken?

Compared to other meats, chicken meat has a low calorie and fat content. However, the calories quickly mount up when adding oil, sauce, butter, and bread. A 52-gram skinless, boneless cooked chicken thigh, for example, has 109 calories and 5.7 grams of fat. The identical chicken thigh fried in batter, on the other hand, contains 144 calories and 8.6 grams of fat. A fried chicken thigh with a flour coating has even more calories and fat: 162 calories and 9.3 grams. A 21-gram boneless, skinless chicken wing contains 43 calories and 1.7 grams of fat. A chicken wing slathered in barbecue sauce, on the other hand, contains 61 calories and 3.7 grams of fat. A wing cooked in a flour coating has 61 calories and 4.2 grams of fat, equivalent. As a result, low-fat cooking methods including poaching, roasting, grilling, and steaming are your best bet for reducing calorie intake.

Conclusion

Chicken is a good source of protein, niacin, selenium, and phosphorus, among other nutrients. Anything in excess is harmful, and Chicken is no exception. It’s not harmful to eat Chicken every day, but you must carefully select the perfect one and cook it properly. Salmonella, a bacterium found in poultry hens that can cause food-borne diseases, may cause food poisoning. Chicken is always included in a healthy diet because it is essentially a slice of lean meat, meaning less fat. As a result, eating Chicken daily can assist you in healthily losing weight. Chicken is high in calcium and phosphorus, in addition to protein.