Health benefits of Chicken
Chicken nutrition facts are different from those of many foods, namely, dairy products. That’s why it is hardly replaced in the diet. Below are top health benefits of chicken that might need you to choose chicken immediately for the next meal.
1. Reduced Cancer Risk
Research have found that in non-vegetarians, a higher consumption of red meat, pork/ham increased the risk of colorectal cancer, while in chicken and fish eaters, the risk of developing this cancer in later life was reduced, although the evidence is not conclusive.
2. Common Cold
Chicken is regarded as one of the most traditional options for curing common cold. It helps to relieve common symptoms of these infections, including sore throat or congested nose. In addition, chicken consists of tryptophan which is a special amino acid to make you feel comfortable. Chicken possesses anti-depressant quality, which is very effective for the treatment of common colds.
Intake of warm chicken soup provides relief from common cold, including symptoms like a congested nose and a sore throat.
3.Reduced Cholesterol
Amount of saturated fat and cholesterol found in red meat such as beef, pork, and lamb are much higher than the levels found in chicken, fish, and vegetables. Therefore, the American Heart Association has recommended consuming chicken or fish instead of red meat for a lowered risk of cholesterol and subsequent heart disease development. The AHA also says that consuming chicken or fish must be limited to normal levels, as excessive consumption can also lead to the development of heart disease.
4. Helps To Fight Against Depression
Chicken also contains large amounts of an amino acid called “tryptophan”. It has a soothing effect on the nervous system, and it can stimulate and improve our sleep. In fact, if you feel depressed, you just need to eat some food dishes which are mainly made with chicken to increase the levels of serotonin in your brain, in order to enhance your mood, reduce and ease the stress, and relieve the depression that you are suffering. In fact, large quantities of vitamin B3 contained in chicken can help people improve mood effectively, especially in cold winter days. You just need to boil or roast a small chicken, and you are about to have a nutritious meal which support you well in the battle against depression, stress, and anxiety. This is actually one of the best health benefits of chicken that not many people know!
5. Protecting the Cognitive System
Chicken meat consists of good amount of Niacin, also known as vitamin B3 and has been shown as an effective preventative measure against age-related cognitive decline. According to the Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry (JNNP), a regular intake of foods high in niacin, such as chicken, can protect the brain against Alzheimer’s disease.
6. Helps build muscles
Chicken is one of the best non-vegetarian sources of protein. It is lean meat, which means that it contains more amounts of proteins and less amount of fat. A 100g serving of roasted chicken offers you 31g of protein, making it great for those who want to bulk up and build muscles.
7. Control of Blood Pressure
Regular Chicken consumption has been found to be useful in controlling blood pressure as well. This was observed in people with hypertension and in many African Americans, though the diet also contained nuts, low-fat dietary products, vegetables, and fruits.
8. Strengthen Teeth and Bone
Chicken has phosphorus which can keep your bones and teeth healthy and prevent bone loss (as calcium). It can be said that chicken is very good for women who are susceptible to have weak bones.
9. Heart’s Health
Homocysteine is an amino acid that can cause heart disease if it contained at high levels in our body. Therefore, controlling the level of homocysteine is essential to protect the health of the heart. And fortunately, eating chicken breast in a regular basis may help to prevent the increase of homocysteine levels and control them as you desire. Chicken has cholesterol but it also contains niacin which can help to lower the cholesterol levels. Therefore, if you pick up lean chicken flesh and serve it without adding butter or oil, it will be actually very good for your heart.
10. Improve the Health of Eyes
Chicken flesh comes with high levels of retinol, alpha and beta-carotene, and lycopene – the substance which are all derived from vitamin A so that they are very beneficial for eyesight. In fact, eating chicken can contribute to stabilizing and maintain your vision’s health. Therefore, you certainly should add chicken to your daily diet in a regular basis for good, particularly if you are living with some eye problems.
11. Support the Healthy Tissue Growth
Many people have to face the problems of chapped lips, cracked mouth, sore tongue, or dry skin in the winter. However, if you eat chicken or chicken liver, these issues will be considerably reduced. That is because the chicken and chicken liver contain riboflavin (a type of vitamin B2) which can work to repel dry skin and repair damaged tissues in the body.
12. Boosts immunity
Chicken soup has long been used as a home remedy for relieving cold, flu and other common respiratory infections. Hot steam of chicken soup helps clear nasal and throat congestion while the thick fluid coats the throat to prevent invasion of respiratory linings by microbes to cause infection. Research evaluating this effect suggested that chicken soup prevents migration of neutrophils, a type of immune cells, thus preventing inflammation during common infections and boosting immunity.