Hump Day Health Hack with @amysfitnessandnutrition
Are All Chicks Created Equal?
Chicken is a household staple for many meat-eating families. It is a relatively lean, reasonably priced white meat that provides an excellent protein source. But are all chicks created equal? Which parts of a chicken are top of the nutritional pecking order? Should you bother with Free Range? Let’s see…
Should You Bother With Free Range?
The nutritional value of chicken varies massively depending on how it was raised. Raised in the sunshine, foraging in pasture, eating a varied diet creates a very different chick to one raised on a diet of grains and antibiotics to keep them ‘healthy’.
Breast Is Best But is it?
This lean (often dry) part of the chicken can be an easy choice. With no skin or bones this is a very low-fat part of the animal. The downside is unlike legs and thighs it is missing the nutrient-dense darker meat that we find around the bones and in the connective tissue that contains nutrient-dense collagen and (healthy) fats.
Drumsticks & Thighs
They not only taste delicious but also contain the nutrient-dense brown meat around the bones. This dark meat contains higher levels of zinc, iron, vitamin C as well as collagen.
Chicken Soup For The Soul
More than just an old wives’ tale. Chicken soup has been scientifically proven to help improve mood and get rid of the common cold. It is rich in amino acids which help decongest (amplified but ingredients like garlic & pepper), lower inflammation, and help us fight off viruses.
Chicken Burgers
54% Chicken and 28 Ingredients – No joke. Canola oil, thickeners, wheat, rice, and sugar were a few of the yummy ingredients used to bulk out these bad boys. I would steer clear if you can.
Top Tips On Chicks
- Buy Free Range where possible
- Try and buy whole cuts with the bone in
- Make chicken soup/ bone broth with the bones leftover
- Avoid highly processed chicken products
If you’ve got a question or any feedback let us know!