A source of good quality protein is essential part of every balanced nutritional program, and free range chicken breast is my number 1 choice.
I find that chicken breast is the nicest tasting cut of chicken, and I love the versatility it offers up. From soups, to wraps, salads and curries; cold or warm, chicken has it covered!
What Makes Good Quality Protein An Essential Part Of Every Diet?
Protein intake is important to promote good health as well as a fat burning environment in your body.
If you include a moderate/ high protein intake to your nutritional program you can enjoy the following benefits:
1. Improve your body composition (muscle to fat ratio). 2. Increase lean muscle mass. 3. Facilitate weight loss. 4. Help you to maintain your “goal weight” after a weight loss regime.
As long as your protein intake is balanced, it will also help you to maintain optimum blood sugar levels, preventing insulin spikes, and keeping you in a fat burning mode at all times.
Did you know that protein also helps to regulate your appetite? By keeping you feeling full for longer, and by avoiding blood sugar spikes, it is a great weapon against junk food cravings.
The Health Benefits Of Free Range Chicken
We live in an age where the health and happiness of the food we eat matters a lot to us. We care about the conditions our livestock is raised in, and the amount of stress it endures. So it comes as no surprise that free-range is becoming more popular.
But choosing free-range is about more than just the welfare of our food; it is actually a much healthier choice for us too.
You Eat What Your Chicken Eats
A battery farm chicken’s life isn’t great. Forced to live in cramped conditions with no opportunity for exercise, and fed hormone enhanced grain to fatten them up.
The result is a lower quality meat, full of bad fats, hormones and toxins.
On the other hand, free range chickens are raised in a natural environment that allows for exercise, relatively little stress, sunlight, and a diet that includes vegetarian grain, greens, insects and worms. What more could a happy chicken want?
As you might have guessed, a happy chicken is a healthy one. Free range meat contains the perfect ration of good to bad fats (omega 3 to omega 6). It is also a great source of bio-available protein, which means it is easier to digest.
Omega 3 fatty acids actually help maintain an elevated metabolism and prevent fatty deposits in your internal organs. Weight gain is actually a symptom of omega 3 deficiency.
The good news is that free range chicken is easy to find. You can pick it up at almost every grocery store. The downside is that it is a little more expensive than battery farmed poultry. But I think the health benefits outweigh the financial implications.
How Much Should I Eat?
RDA (Recommended Dietary Allowance) suggests a protein intake of 0.8g of protein per kg of body weight, per day. If you’re currently looking to lose weight, or just improve your general nutrition, then it is probably worth at least meeting the RDA. You should notice all of the benefits I mentioned earlier.
However, everybody is different, and there is no secret formula. And of course the quality of the protein you eat as well as the other foods in your diet will have a huge impact.
For most normal people, 20-30 grams of protein per meal is all you’ll need. Especially if you are eating 5-6 small meals per day. However, athletes, fitness models and those looking to get in optimum physical condition will often eat even more than that.
Don’t forget just how versatile chicken is. Here are some delicious recipe ideas:
1. Chicken, mushroom, pepper, courgette and onion skewers. 2. Chicken in (home made) tomato sauce with kidney beans, onion, pepper served over a jacket potato. 3. Pastryless chicken, onion and tomato flan.
Enjoy this article? See the full List Of Fat Burning Foods for more delicious nutritional ideas. For more information about Negative Calorie Foods and how they can help you lose weight, check out David Thorpe’s blog.
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