If you want to create a better body, that starts with adding better fuel to the tank. Designing the right diet can seem confusing or even so overwhelming that you just want to grab a tub of ice cream and give up. Not so fast! Results happen by changing one habit at a time. Start by adding more chicken to your diet. We’ll even help by giving you an excellent orange chicken recipe straight from Betrhealth.com at the end of this article.
Chicken is super yummy, low in fat, and full of the protein you need to build muscle and burn fat. It makes a great addition to so many different meals that you’ll never get tired of seeing it on your plate. Let’s look at six reasons why you should eat more chicken and less red meat.
1. So Much Protein!
Protein is the building blocks of your muscles. If you want a toned, well-defined body, you’ll need to get plenty of protein in your diet. (Even more so if you are focused on heavy strength training.) Every three ounces of boneless, skinless chicken breast serves up a whopping 27 grams of protein, as well as plenty of amino acids. Protein isn’t just good for the muscles you can see. It also helps build your heart tissue and the muscles on the insides of your intestines.
2. Low in Fat
Red meats, like beef, pork, and lamb can also deliver loads of protein. Unfortunately, they contain high amounts of saturated fat, including LDL cholesterol, which is the bad cholesterol that can lead to heart disease! Boneless, skinless chicken, on the other hand, is an incredibly lean type of meat. Four ounces of lean ground chicken contains less than half the amount of saturated fat as lean ground beef and pork!
3. High in Selenium
Selenium is one of those trace elements that doesn’t get nearly the respect that it deserves. Selenium has shown some promise in fighting cancer and helping to diminish inflammation, cardiovascular disease, neurological disease, and even everyday infections. Guess what meat gives you a good dose of selenium with each serving? You guessed it; it’s chicken!
4. Super Versatile
One of the biggest benefits of chicken has nothing to do with all the helpful vitamins and minerals it contains and everything to do with how yummy it is. Chicken is incredibly versatile meat that has the ability to absorb the spices and flavors of so many different dishes. If you add chicken to your diet, there are endless ways to serve it. Toss it in a salad for lunch, add it to chili during the winter. Whip up some chicken jambalaya, curry or toss it into a rice bowl. Chicken can be seared, boiled, grilled, and baked. Our orange chicken recipe is just one of the thousands of different ways to serve chicken!
5. Low Price
One excuse people use when explaining why they don’t eat healthy is to claim that healthy food is too expensive. Not true! Chicken is not only incredibly healthy, but it’s also very affordable. According to the National Chicken Council, chicken costs $1.90 per pound on average at the grocery store. Compare that to the average retail price of pork at $3.70 per pound or beef at $5.95 per pound! A pound of beef costs over 200% more than the same amount of chicken. Keep in mind that a pound of chicken can also cover multiple meals, if you add it over a plate of steaming couscous, toss it in a stew, or make ground chicken burgers with it!
6. Lower Carbon Footprint
If you care about the environmental footprint of your food, then it’s a good idea to lower your overall meat intake in favor of plant-based proteins, including beans and lentils. When it is time for a meat dish, chicken is one of the better environmental options. The website Green Eatz calculated the total carbon footprint of each kind of major meat, and the results were surprising. One kilogram of beef (around 2.2 pounds) creates roughly 27 kilograms of CO2. That’s about the same amount of carbon dioxide as would be created by driving 63 miles in the average vehicle. In comparison, a kilogram of chicken only produces 6.9 kilograms of CO2, almost four times less than beef!
Orange Chicken Recipe from Betr Health
If you need a little push to get started on adding healthy chicken dishes to your diet, try this delicious orange ginger chicken recipe we picked up from the fabulous site, BetrHealth.com.
Here’s what you’ll need:
- 4oz organic chicken, cut into 1-inch bites
- 1 Tbsp ginger
- ½ tsp basil
- 2-3 cloves minced garlic
- Black pepper
- Juice from half a lemon
- Orange, cut into fourths
Directions
- Season chicken with ginger, basil, minced garlic, black pepper, and juice from half a lemon
- Sautee, grill, or bake until fully cooked
- Garnish your finished chicken with orange slices
- Serve with a side of your choice, such as quinoa, long grain rice, salad, or cooked veggies
Need Help Creating a Better Diet?
You won’t see the fitness results you want unless you commit to a healthy and wholesome diet, along with a consistent exercise routine. Crafting the right diet for yourself can be confusing, especially if you have special dietary needs.
Don’t just guess! Visit an EōS Fitness gym near you and ask about our EōS nutrition program. Our friendly staff is here to help you put your diet on point, so you’ll get to enjoy the full results of all your hard work in the gym!
About Betr Health
Betr Health provides customized meal plans and remote personal coaching to help clients reset their microbiome to improve their mood, increase energy, lose fat, and improve their overall health.
