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Here’s a chart outlining the approximate nutritional values for a 3.5-ounce (100-gram) serving of roasted, skinless chicken breast:
These values are approximate and can vary depending on factors such as cooking method and whether the chicken is skinless or with skin.
| Nutrient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Calories | 165 |
| Protein | 31 grams |
| Total Fat | 3.6 grams |
| Saturated Fat | 1 gram |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 1.3 grams |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 0.9 grams |
| Cholesterol | 85 mg |
| Sodium | 74 mg |
| Potassium | 256 mg |
| Total Carbohydrate | 0 grams |
| Dietary Fiber | 0 grams |
| Sugars | 0 grams |
| Vitamin A | 1% of DV |
| Vitamin C | 0% of DV |
| Calcium | 1% of DV |
| Iron | 4% of DV |
Chicken is an excellent protein-rich food to help promote weight management. Additionally, it provides moderate amounts of unsaturated fats as well as essential vitamins and minerals.
Chicken’s caloric content varies depending on its preparation and type. For instance, skinless roasted chicken has an estimated 155-calorie per 3.5-ounce (100-gram) serving.
Protein
Chicken is an excellent source of protein and nutritional support, offering essential vitamins and minerals like selenium, iron, vitamin B12, and choline to our health. Furthermore, its affordability makes it a popular choice in many households while helping close nutritional gaps for food insecure populations.
Skinless chicken breasts provide approximately 207 Calories, 30.5 Grams of Protein and 5.7 Grams of Fat when prepared according to standard preparation procedures. Thighs, drumsticks and wings contain ample quantities of Protein as well.
Chicken is a lean source of protein, meaning that it does not contain the saturated fats found in red meats. Studies show that regular consumption of lean proteins like chicken helps manage body weight while possibly protecting against heart disease, diabetes and cancer. However, its carbohydrate content varies based on cooking method. Therefore, eating lean proteins such as chicken breasts should only be done so in moderation.
Fat
Chicken is an abundant source of lean protein. Available in multiple cuts and cuisines worldwide, chicken should be used mindfully when it comes to its calorie and fat content.
Lipid content varies significantly among different cuts of poultry meat depending on its preparation method and cut, although chicken tends to contain lower levels of saturated fat than most other poultry types and contains moderate levels of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids (mainly omega-6 linoleic acid and omega-3 alpha-linolenic acid).
Poultry meat provides many essential vitamins, such as B-group vitamins such as thiamine and pantothenic acid. Furthermore, poultry provides essential amino acids like lysine, histidine and arginine that are hard-to-find elsewhere.
Comparable with other meat products, poultry offers a healthy combination of high amounts of protein and moderate levels of fat, both at an appropriate ratio for optimal health, that naturally result in low sodium and carb content. According to cross-sectional and prospective studies, adequate poultry consumption can assist in maintaining an ideal body weight, as well as reduce risks of degenerative diseases in our modern society.
Carbohydrates
Chicken is an excellent source of protein and contains minimal carbohydrates; one 3-ounce serving of roasted chicken breast has less than one gram of sugar and zero grams of starch. But how you prepare chicken can dramatically change its carbohydrate content. Breading and coating the meat with flour adds significant amounts of carbs, while its glycemic load also depends on what types of fats or condiments such as barbecue sauce or ketchup are used during preparation.
Chicken protein comes mainly from poultry feed. Commercial diets for commercial flocks usually contain added methionine and lysine supplements to ensure adequate levels of protein are present in their meat, while fortifying it with essential vitamins such as E, B12 and Niacin is often included in their formulations.
Chicken skin that has been exposed to roasting or baking may contain high concentrations of advanced glycation end products (AGEs). AGEs form when foods containing sugars interact with proteins to form more oxidized products; for this reason it would be wiser not to consume the skins from these types of chicken preparations.
Vitamins
Chicken is packed with protein, B vitamins, selenium and choline and makes an excellent source of healthy fats that is low in sodium. As part of a balanced diet that includes meats and fish as well as vegetables, fruits and whole grains.
Chicken provides 56% of the recommended daily intake (RDI) per 100 grams. Furthermore, it contains significant amounts of vitamin B3, an important vitamin involved in multiple key enzymatic reactions, while also being an excellent source of B12 and choline.
As it contains an excellent source of the amino acid anserine, which is used to synthesize carnosine for muscle use, and can help protect against heart disease and other chronic illnesses by inhibiting advanced glycation end products (AGEs). Furthermore, anserine may improve sleep quality (14-15).
Minerals
Chicken meat is an excellent source of protein and minerals such as iron, zinc, selenium and potassium, and naturally low in sodium content. Furthermore, it contains large concentrations of the amino acid glycine which has been proven to extend longevity by mimicking methionine restriction (21-22). Selenium acts as an antioxidant mineral to support normal cell functioning. Half a chicken provides over 100 percent of your daily recommended allowance (DV). Calcium magnesium and phosphorus can also be found in abundance within chicken flesh.
Roasting or baking chicken increases its energetic value by 30-50% due to increased fat content in its meat.
Poultry meats make an excellent baby food option because they contain a wide range of essential vitamins and minerals that are easily digested, particularly carnosine which has been shown to enhance sleep quality as well as various indicators of cardiovascular health. Furthermore, meat contains factors that promote bioavailability of non-heme iron present in plant-based foods when consumed simultaneously with meat products.
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