Chicken: The Preferred Protein For Your Health And Budget
You may have heard a lot about protein recently, especially as it plays a part in combating the ever-expanding obesity epidemic. The United States Department of Agriculture’s 2010 Dietary Guidelines encourage us to eat proteins like chicken that are low in saturated fat. Did you know:
• Three ounces of chicken has about 25 grams of high-quality protein. This is particularly important during periods of rapid growth, such as during childhood or pregnancy.
• Chicken is a budgetfriendly form of protein, costing an average of only $1.25 per pound based on national averages (compared to an average national price of $3.03 per pound for 100 percent ground beef.)
• Chicken without the skin is naturally low in fat—only three grams of fat per three ounce cooked portion (about the size of a deck of cards). Even with the skin, chicken provides a modest eight grams of fat per three ounce portion. Chicken is also low in saturated fat and is a good source of iron.
• Chicken is naturally low in sodium, providing only 70 milligrams of sodium per three ounce portion.
• Chicken is versatile in the kitchen - hot or cold, it’s an easy ingredient in many ready-in-a-minute meals. Chicken is also a common ingredient among international cuisines, and readily absorbs the flavors of seasonings and spices. When your recipe calls for a meat that is too costly or not available, chicken is always a reliable substitute.
• When cooking in mass to have leftovers for future meals, nothing beats the breast of chicken. Leftover grilled or baked chicken prepared early in the week easily transitions to healthy meals such as cold chicken served over salad, or chicken salad mixed with reduced fat mayonnaise.
We all need to consume anywhere from 10 percent to 35 percent of our total daily calories as protein; the average American now gets about 15 percent of daily calories from protein. Want to learn how to know where your protein needs fit in? Look at the latest research on protein and health:
Protein and weight management — Consuming a higher protein diet can help you lose weight. Protein helps regulate appetite and cravings by enhancing the feeling of fullness for longer after a meal or snack. Your protein needs are determined by lean body mass, not calories, so as calories are decreased on a weight loss plan, protein intake should stay the same, or possibly even increase in order to preserve muscle.
Protein in muscle growth and maintenance — If you want to build and maintain muscle mass, you need to eat enough dietary protein. But did you know that distributing protein consumption throughout the day may be the most efficient way to build muscle? Whether you’re an athlete looking to bulk up, or just someone interested in maintaining muscle as you age, to build and maintain muscle over time it may be more effective to aim for around 30 grams of protein (that’s about four ounces of chicken meat) per meal three times a day, as opposed to the typical American habit of eating most of our protein at dinner.
Protein and bone health — Dietary proteins play a crucial role in both muscle and bone maintenance. Strong muscles help protect bones from conditions like osteoporosis, and eating enough protein protects against progressive muscle loss with age. Dietary protein is known to stimulate growth factors that strengthen bone and muscle, as well as increase calcium absorption. In older adults, some experts suggest that more than the current Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) may be better, as senior adults require more protein to build and maintain muscle than do younger people.
How much protein do you need? — Currently, the RDA for protein is 0.36 grams of protein per pound of body weight. A four once chicken breast provides 32 grams of high quality protein, or about half the daily requirement for a 150-pound person.