Chicken breast: benefits and harm to the body

Chicken has been used in cooking since ancient times. Tender, tasty and diet chicken is the basis of many dishes, makes a difference in the human menu. Experienced chefs use all the chicken parts for cooking various culinary masterpieces: drumstick, breast, wings, legs and even scallops.

Chicken breast is valued for its small amount of connective tissue compared to beef. Chicken dishes are cooked quickly. Cooked food has a delicate taste, is easily digested, it retains useful substances that give strength and energy. Chicken fat has a low melting point during cooking, which also helps to maintain beneficial properties. Chicken breast meat is used for dishes with a delicate taste, low calorie content and high nutritional energy.

What is the difference between chicken and chicken breast

To obtain portioned slices, whole chicken is cut according to the schemes, separating the hips, drumstick, wings, back and breast. Chicken breast consists of keel - bone part with cartilage and sirloin - meat.

The word “fillet” comes from the French word “filet”, which means the most expensive and delicious meat part of a carcass of fish, poultry, game and domestic animals used for cooking. Poultry fillet is a meat cut from boneless breast, consisting of 2 parts, and this is white meat.

Cooks use the whole filet fillet, frying over high heat on all sides to "seal" the juices. Only after the formation of a crust it is salted and pepper, spices are added, they can bake in the oven or serve a dish. Chicken fillet can also be obtained from the femur, separating meat from bones. It will be of poor quality and is usually used in a packed form.

Composition and calorie content

Valuable white meat of chicken combines the ideal ratio of proteins and fats. Per 100 g of product, 25% of protein and only 2% of fat are lost. Proteins, fats and carbohydrates (BJU) - 23.6 g, 1.9 g, 0.4 g.

Chicken breast contains minerals, vitamins, which have a beneficial effect on the human body. Poultry meat is considered a dietary product for its nutritional properties and energy value - 113 kcal per 100 g.

An affordable and tasty product is inexpensive, while it brings tangible benefits to human health. Chicken cooked in different ways also has calorie values ​​that differ from each other. In 100 g of product:

• breast fillet - 113 kcal;
• meat with bone - 137 kcal;
• with skin - 164 kcal;
• boiled meat - 95 kcal;
• smoked - 119 kcal;
• fried - 197 kcal.

Bodybuilders and people who want to gain muscle mass, chicken is recommended as a protein food. The weight remains at the same level.

The vitamin composition of the breast is manifested by the presence of vitamins A, B, C, H and P. Mineral elements - zinc, magnesium, selenium, iron, chlorine, copper, potassium, sodium, phosphorus - enrich cells, increasing the body's immunity and resistance to harmful bacteria and viruses . The work of organs and systems responsible for the full functioning of the whole organism is improving.

Vitamins of groups A, C and H help the normal functioning of the liver when cleansing of toxins and toxins. Blood and circulatory systems also experience the beneficial effects of these vitamins. The digestive tract and kidneys get help from them. Vitamins of group B help the female body to pass the test for motherhood, favorably affect the development of the fetus. Vitamins are also needed to maintain metabolism.

The meat of the breast compares favorably with other parts of the chicken in the absence of cholesterol, fats, which adversely affect the composition of the blood, metabolism. The digestive tract and intestines are positively affected by chicken meat.

Severe diseases, rehabilitation after suffering viral diseases, injuries and injuries, were treated from time immemorial with the help of chicken stock. It helps the body fight the disease, enriching every cell with a life-giving chemical vitamin-mineral composition.

What is useful chicken breast

General benefit

Chicken breast, especially from poultry, is useful not only in composition, but also in dietary properties that can renew the body, as well as in taste.

Chicken breast is useful for the following reasons:

1. This is a universal product from which a variety of culinary dishes are prepared. Breast is suitable for broths, soups, main courses, warm and cold salads, appetizers, slices, frying and smoking. These dishes in any accompaniment, whether vegetables or cereals, are tasty and nutritious, suitable for any dietary table. The breast is well absorbed without causing heaviness in the stomach.
2. The product promotes metabolism in the body, helps the circulatory system and blood formation.
3. Breast broths provide relief and relieve a painful condition while reducing activity and immunity. They have a healing and activating effect with a general physical weakening of the body. Meat helps fight colds by supporting the body. Even a large amount of healing broth will not harm because of the small amount of fat.
4. Painful conditions of the stomach and intestines will be eliminated with the help of a strengthening broth from the breast, enveloping the walls of the stomach. It normalizes acidity, it is very useful for people with gastritis and stomach ulcers.
5. Breast increases metabolism, regulates metabolism, helps weight loss.
6. Potassium contained in meat is involved in the work of the muscles of the heart, maintaining tone and optimal activity.
7. The product significantly reduces harmful cholesterol in the blood, stabilizes blood pressure.
8. Regular breast nutrition stimulates the kidneys and adrenal glands, helps the liver.
9. White meat does not overload the body, so over time, the skin becomes better, swelling disappears. Nails and hair get a healthy look, brittleness and section disappear.
10. The product helps the human skeleton, forms mass, gives strength and endurance.

For women

Dietary dishes from the breast affect the health of a woman, starting recovery processes after childbirth, long-term illnesses, severe critical days, play an active role in weight loss.

For men

A low-carb, chicken-based diet provides muscle building. A diet is needed for men who are engaged in bodybuilding to build muscle relief. However, it is important to remember that eating only with the breast will not give much strength and energy, since the body can not do without fats and carbohydrates, which are responsible for active life, for a long time.

During pregnancy

In the period of expectation of the child of the future mother, vitamins and minerals, active substances contained in food are vital. Dietary chicken meat is quickly cooked, does not give strong smells that can irritate a pregnant woman. But we must not forget that animal fats are also important for the development of the fetus, so eating only breast, in order not to gain excess weight, is wrong. Nutrition should be varied, with the inclusion of vitamin fruits and vegetables.

When breastfeeding

With the mother’s milk, the child receives the necessary trace elements, which in turn come from the woman’s diet. Chicken breast and broth on it are of great importance for a child who receives group B vitamins, abundantly contained in chicken meat. They affect the nervous system, brain activity. Iron has an effect on the hematopoietic system, phosphorus along with vitamin D heals bones, helps metabolic processes. Hot broths from chicken breast contribute to the production of milk from a nursing mother.

For kids

A growing child’s body also needs vitamins and a healthy diet. Chicken breasts are a great way to teach a child to eat right from an early age, as meat is usually served with side dishes of vegetables, cereals, which also consist of substances that positively affect human health.

When losing weight

There are many diets based only on the use of chicken breast. They are called chicken diets or mono-diets. Within 1 week or 3 days, the diet is configured only on the use of boiled breasts. Cooked without salt and seasoning, meat is divided into 5-6 receptions per day. They eat it with fresh herbs, natural spices. Drinking should be plentiful and frequent so that there is no stagnation in the kidneys, in the intestines.

For a longer diet, fresh vegetables should be included in the diet. Thus, you can lose 4-6 kg of weight in just a few days.

Which chicken breast is healthier

There are many recipes for making chicken breast and ways to preserve it for a long time. Chicken meat is subjected to mandatory heat treatment: cooked, steamed, fried, smoked. Taking as a basis the caloric content of processed products and prepared according to recipes, we can draw conclusions on the usefulness of different types of chicken. In any case, an easily digestible product is obtained, with useful substances, suitable for dietary, therapeutic nutrition, as well as a children's menu.

Smoked

Smoked breast is fragrant, with a beautiful "tan" causes appetite not only for appearance, but also for taste. For smoking, many spices are used, giving a unique smell and color. Breasts are pre-soaked in salted brine and smoked in smoke. Ways:

1. Hot. Pickled breasts are smoked by passing hot smoke through the smokehouse. Hot smoked breasts are not stored for long.
2. Cold. The breasts soaked in brine are placed in the smokehouse for several days, smoke is also passed, but at the same time it reaches the preforms already cooled down. Meat can be stored longer.
3. Liquid smoking. The meat is soaked in a solution with flavor (liquid smoke), which simulates the smell of smoked meat. After marinating for 1 hour, you can roast chicken or bake in the oven. This method causes caution, since the flavor may be of poor quality or may consist of solid chemistry.

After smoking, the product is fragrant, tasty, juicy, with a crust of even orange. Smoked breasts make salads, added to hot dishes, to soups. Any smoked meats are contraindicated for people with gastrointestinal tract problems, expectant mothers and breast-feeding, babies under 4 years old, allergies. It is not necessary to include smoked chicken in the diet for daily use - it contains a lot of salt.

Boiled

The easiest way to cook chicken breasts is cooking. You need to add a little salt, spices, vegetables, let the meat cool and eat. The only catch is that the chicken turns a bit dry, gets stuck in a throat. To eliminate dryness, various sauces, mustard, horseradish, ketchup and even mayonnaise are used, which, of course, adds calories. But there is a way out if you use boiled breast with fresh juicy vegetables: cucumber, tomatoes, fresh onions or garlic. A broth can be used to make vegetable soup, porridge. Boiled breast is suitable for everyone, it is considered the most useful.

Fried

Chilled broiler breast marinated with vegetables and spices, suitable for quick frying in a pan. Fried on all sides to a golden crust, it is then baked in the oven with vegetables.The famous Bleu cordon, stuffed with cheese and ham, is prepared from fresh chicken breasts, quickly fried in a pan and brought in the oven. A special garlic sauce is prepared for him. The energy value due to the presence of butter, cheese, ham increases, but for infrequent consumption and for variety, this method of preparation can also be used.

Fried foods are not suitable for people with diseases of the liver and gastrointestinal tract, they are also contraindicated for children.

Benefits of Chicken Breast Broth

Breast broth is a diet dish with minimal energy value. For fragrant and strong broths, choose a breast of adult and well-fed chicken. When cooking, the useful substances of chicken lose their properties, remaining in the broth by 40-50%.

Properly brewed broth stimulates appetite, has a beneficial effect on the stomach, liver, bile ducts, and helps digestion. It gives energy and strength to people who have undergone surgery, prolonged debilitating diseases, physically exhausted. With colds, chicken stock stimulates the body's resistance to viruses and bacteria, liquefies sputum.

Contraindications: individual intolerance to the composition of the breast can become an obstacle to taking chicken broth. With the manifestation of heartburn, increased acidity of the stomach, this dish should not be consumed.

Chicken Breast in Medicine

White chicken meat is recommended by doctors for various diseases as a diet. Diseases associated with the pancreas require careful attention to products, diet and diet.

With diabetes

Meat has a positive effect on diabetes as a means to lower blood glucose. Nutrition is based on steamed, boiled or baked products without the use of oil. Breasts should be without skins. It is advisable to use the breast in the grinded form, making cutlets from minced meat.

Important: the glycemic index of chicken breast is 0-5 units.

With pancreatitis

During an exacerbation of the disease, fillet is suspended. The product must be removed from the patient's menu. After several days of stable condition, chicken can be introduced into the diet in the form of steam cutlets, meatballs and meatballs. Chicken lean meat broth can be used with caution. Fried and smoked breasts are strictly prohibited in pancreatitis.

With gastritis

Food made from chicken fillet is perfect for people with stomach diseases and having high acidity. The approach to nutrition is chosen the same as in previous cases - boiled, steam food, crushed into minced meat, mashed into porridge. Chicken fibers absorb acid, which interferes with the normal functioning of the stomach and causes discomfort.

With gout

Dietary nutrition aimed at lowering uric acid levels includes the following principles: in addition to eliminating foods that cause the manifestation of purine from the menu, the intake of protein foods and carbohydrates should also be reduced. Also prohibited is chicken stock. Food should create an alkaline environment with the help of fruits, vegetables, dairy products.

Harm and contraindications

Chicken breast is an ideal dietary product that does not have contraindications and significant harmful components. Chicken accumulates fat in the abdominal region, which is usually cut off, but cooks use it to prepare pastes. The skin also contains a large amount of fat, when frying it can become a carcinogen.

The amount of iron and magnesium in chicken, which helps in blood formation, needs attention. These substances are present in chicken in negligible doses, which affects the delayed recovery of the body after serious illnesses and injuries associated with blood loss.Ingredients added when cooking chicken can make up for these missing ingredients.

White meat, rich in protein and almost free of carbohydrates, with constant use can lead to undesirable results. Difficult working conditions, physical activity take a lot of strength and energy. To restore the body after exhausting labor, a boiled breast is not suitable, since products containing fat and carbohydrates become an energy source.

Fresh chicken, bred in inappropriate sanitary conditions, can become a source of dangerous diseases: salmonellosis and toxoplasmosis. When cooking, you should have a separate board for chicken, meat, fish and even separate knives. Even if you have confidence that the breasts were bought in safe places, you can not neglect the rules of sanitation and cooking.

After washing the chicken under running water, you should also process the sink, as the infection can perfectly settle on the walls of the sink.

How to choose and store chicken breast

Chicken breast is sold separate from the carcass. If the product is chilled, then you need to choose meat of pale pink color, uniform density, without mucus and odor, streaks of blood and spots. Too large breasts occur in birds overfed with hormones. Production date should not exceed 5 days.

Is it possible to freeze
For long-term storage, chicken breast can be frozen. With shock freezing, meat retains its beneficial properties. After thawing, it can be consumed as usual. Keep frozen fillet in the freezer is allowed no more than 4 months. When buying already frozen meat, you need to look so that the ratio of the icing does not exceed 5% by weight on the label.

How to quickly defrost chicken breast

Chicken breast thawed at room temperature for 3-4 hours, but it may lose some of the beneficial trace elements.

1. The best approach is to transfer the meat from the freezer to the top shelf in the evening from the freezer. By morning, the fillet will be thawed. The packaging of the fillet must be removed, put the meat in a container with a lid.
2. A quick way is to fill the breasts with slightly warm water, changing it regularly as it cools. It takes 2 hours.
3. A microwave with a defrost function defrosts foods in 3-5 minutes, but vitamins and minerals are lost. There are fewer supporters of microwave ovens in the world because of the proven negative effects of microwaves on the structure of food.
4. You can defrost in a slow cooker by turning on the double boiler mode for 7-10 minutes.
5. A conventional oven does a good job of defrosting in 10–20 minutes, if you set the minimum temperature.

What to cook from chicken breast: recipes

Dishes from the fillet are obtained delicious, satisfying while observing the intricacies of the preparation and following the recipe. Appetizing and dietary culinary delights can be made from fillet.

Cutlets

Chop the chicken fillet (2 pcs.) Into minced meat, add small onions, chopped with a blender or on a grater. Add a bunch of dill, finely chopped, to the mass, 2 eggs, grated cheese (50 g), flour (2 tablespoons), salt and seasonings to taste. Knead the minced meat. Form cutlets and fry in a pan with the addition of oil on each side for 2-3 minutes. It turns out golden and appetizing chopped cutlets.

Chops

Juicy chops are obtained from chicken breasts (2 pcs.) For eggs, 1-2 eggs are needed. Seasonings: garlic (2-3 cloves), salt and pepper to taste. You also need to prepare breadcrumbs, vegetable oil (5-6 tablespoons). Rinse, dry, chop the fillet, beat well, cover with cling film. Thickness should be 6–7 mm. Beat eggs, add vegetable oil, chopped garlic, spices to taste.Dip the prepared fillet in the marinade and leave for 10-15 minutes. Bread each chop, shake off the leftovers. Fry in hot oil over high heat for exactly 1 minute on each side. Fold the chops in a bowl with a lid, slightly darken and serve.

Barbecue

For chicken on skewers in the oven, you need to prepare the following components: fillet (1 kg), bell pepper (2-3 pcs.), Onions (2 heads), tomatoes (2 pcs.), 5 fresh mushrooms, 3 tbsp. soy sauce, to taste seasoning for chicken, salt. Wooden skewers must be soaked in water so that they do not burn in the oven.

Cut all the ingredients into small cubes of 3 cm. To taste, salt, add spices, soy sauce and remove for 1 hour in a cold place.

String food on skewers, alternating vegetables and meat. Put in a baking sheet. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees. Fry kebabs for 30 minutes, observing when ready, so as not to burn.

Nuggets

You can cook nuggets according to the recipe "CFS" with breadcrumbs of corn flakes. The secret lies in the preparation of teriyaki sauce, which gives a unique taste to the dish.

Cut meat (breasts 4-6 pcs.) Into bars of the desired size. Prepare teriyaki sauce: soy sauce - 150 ml, dried ginger - 1 tsp, garlic - 1 clove, finely chopped or minced, wine vinegar 6% - 1 tbsp, cane sugar - 4 tsp, liquid honey - 1 tablespoon, cold boiled water - 70 ml, olive oil - 2 tsp. Refractory dishes will be needed, since the sauce should be prepared in a non-metallic container. Combine all the ingredients of the sauce and put on a small fire. Bring to a boil, turn off. Allow to cool slightly and marinate the chicken meat in the sauce.

To prepare 3 breadcrumbs for breading: for cornmeal (200 g), for wheat flour (100 g), for 2 beaten eggs. Mix salt and spices to your taste (you can add pungency) with cornmeal.

Dip the pickled meat into beaten eggs, then sprinkle with flour, dip into eggs again and finally roll in corn flour. Fry in a pan or deep-fried.

Pate

Ingredients: fillet - 600 g; 1 PC. carrots, 150 g butter, onions (3-4 pcs.), 2 cloves of garlic, ground nutmeg - to taste.

Cook coarsely chopped carrots and fillets for 30 minutes. Salt at the end of cooking. Chop the onion and fry in 2 tbsp. butter. Add chopped garlic at the end. Fry for another 1 minute and turn off. Mix butter (residue) with carrots, breasts, fried onions and garlic. Beat with a blender until smooth. Add nutmeg to taste. Dilute with broth, slowly adding it to the mass. Beat the blender again and leave to cool.

Chicken Breast Soup

You will need a breast (2 pcs.), 2 carrots, onion, fresh celery (1 small bunch), 1 zucchini-zucchini, 1 Bulgarian pepper, cabbage (150 g).

Boil chicken in salted water. After boiling, drain the water, pour a new portion. Grind carrots on a coarse grater. Cut onion into small cubes and fry with carrots. Chop cabbage, pepper, zucchini, celery cut into small cubes. Prepared vegetables lay in the soup. Cook for another 5 minutes with an active boil. Salt, add spices to taste. Disassemble the meat into fibers, return to the soup. Cook another 10 minutes over low heat.

Oven Chicken Breast

Fillet - 300 g, 1 tomato, hard cheese - 80 g, cheese sauce - 2 tsp, red sweet onion - 1/2 pcs., Salt and black pepper - to taste, Dijon mustard - 2 tsp. , soy sauce - 60 ml, vegetable oil - 1 tablespoon, a bunch of fresh parsley, lemon juice - 2 tablespoons, dried garlic - 0.5 tsp

Cut the breasts into 2 halves, slightly beat off. Grate with dried garlic, salt and pepper. Spread the pieces with Dijon mustard. Separately combine soy sauce and lemon juice, put meat in the resulting marinade. After 30–40 minutes put the marinated fillet in a baking sheet or a plate oiled. Top the meat with cheese sauce. Put onion into thin rings on meat. Spread thinly sliced ​​tomato in a layer. Sprinkle the grated cheese on top of the tomato.Put in the oven preheated to 180 degrees, bake for 30 minutes. Serve with herbs and vegetables.

Braised Chicken Breast

Breast - 200 g, broccoli - 200-300 g, carrots - 1 pc., Water - 50 ml., Olive oil - 2 tbsp.

Cut off fat, washed and dried breasts into portions. Simmer with water over low heat until cooked. Add carrots, chopped into strips or cubes. Salt, simmer another 5 minutes. Add broccoli, cut into pieces of the same size as chicken. Add water, olive oil. Within 10 minutes, the dish will be ready. Sprinkle with fresh chopped herbs.

How and how much to cook

Fillet is cooked quickly if it is chilled. Frozen food should be thawed. Breasts are not separated from the bone and cartilage, so that the broth becomes rich and fragrant. Some do not peel off.

You need to boil water for the broth, put in boiling water breast. After boiling, it is better to drain the first water and boil the soup in fresh water. Cook for 10 minutes over low heat, at the same time add the onion, chopped carrots in large slices, salt, add bay leaf. Turn off and close the lid tightly. After 20 minutes, you can get the breast and vegetables from the soup. The meat will become white, softened and tender due to the lack of connective tissue in the fibers. Free it from bone and skin, use for salads, for slicing. The broth can be used as a separate dish or as a base for vegetable soups.

How to fry

Whole pieces of chicken (400-450 g) are fried in a mixture of butter and vegetable oil, pre-salt, rubbed with black pepper. You will need butter - 1 tbsp., Vegetable oil - 2-3 tbsp. To get the perfect golden crust, the pan with oil should be heated over high heat.

Salted and peeled pieces of chicken washed and napkin dried. Heat the pan. Fry in oil on each side for 5-7 minutes at maximum heat. Before turning the fillet, add butter, which will give aroma and juiciness. If the pieces do not come off the bottom of the pan, then they have not yet been fried. Chicken prepared in this way can be used for salads, separate dishes with side dishes of fresh or blanched vegetables, with rice.

You can also fry meat in egg batter: beat a couple of eggs with spices and dip pieces of chicken into the mass before frying.

How much chicken breast can I eat per day?

Mono-diets based on the use of only fillet, provide for the consumption of up to 1 kg of meat per day, for each intake of 160-200 g. Such nutrition contributes to weight loss and increases muscle mass of the protein composition.

For daily use, chicken is calculated per person at 200 g per day, this is half the chicken breast. Breast is prepared in different ways and according to various recipes that set off the taste of the chicken and give it a juiciness.

Fasting day once a week supports the body in good shape, helps cleanse the intestines. Eating chicken is limited to 100-120 g per day with a side dish, the basis of which is vegetables without heat treatment. At the same time, one should not forget about plentiful drinking.

Can I eat at night

Protein food at night can have a bad effect on well-being and sleep. Filet is just about protein food. The body will spend a lot of work on the digestion and assimilation of such food instead of a good rest. During sleep, the body must recover, replenishing the resources spent per day. All functions of the organs are slowed down, the production of hormones responsible for rejuvenation is activated. Therefore, nutritionists and doctors advise to plan the last meal 3-4 hours before bedtime so that the food is absorbed.

Active physical activity in the evening requires the use of high-calorie foods to nourish organs.Anyone who is not inclined to be overweight, has good metabolism and health, can afford to eat a few pieces of boiled chicken before bedtime. But this snack is better to replace with fruit yogurt, kefir.

The diet and sleep should be balanced so that the body works clearly and without failures. Dinner from 18–00 to 19–00 hours is the best time for everyone. A favorable time for going to bed is 23–00 hours. A person’s biological clock is set to get rest at this time, so you should try to fall asleep, not watch TV before going to bed and not dig into your smartphone. After about 2-3 hours, the stage of deep restorative sleep sets in, preserving the youth of the body, nerves and the whole body.

Is it possible to give animals chicken breast

Owners of miniature dogs and thoroughbred cats breastfeed their pets, diluting the diet. But you cannot feed animals with breast alone. A balanced diet with the inclusion of carbohydrates and fats, which are absent in chicken meat, preserves the health of domestic animals, gives them activity and growth.

Use fresh chicken and boiled chicken, cutting into small cubes for small and large - for taller individuals. To serve fresh, you need to be sure that the chicken is not stuffed with antibiotics, estrogens, which can adversely affect the health of the animal. Store breasts are best processed by boiling in water or roasting in the oven, without salt and spices.

Interesting facts about chicken

1. The main consumers of chicken are residents of Israel, Antigua and Barbuda.
2. White meat is not much inferior in usefulness to fish.
3. 300 million Americans consume more chicken meat per year than a billion Chinese.

Chicken fillet, chicken breasts - the most affordable dietary products with useful properties, with vitamins and minerals that support the body. Tasty and properly cooked dishes have a low calorie content. Accompanied by fresh vegetables, berry and herbal drinks, they bring complete fats, carbohydrates and fiber into the diet. The dietary properties of chicken are used for almost all “tables” of patients with various diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. Chicken meat is present in the human diet for several tens of millennia and will remain popular and in demand.

Photo of chicken breast