Healthy chicken nuggets are made with breast meat, which is the leanest cut. “Chicken is a lean protein source, so there’s no reason why the grams of fat in chicken nuggets should be close to or greater than the protein in the nuggets,” says Dillon. The best way to identify this is to compare the fat to protein ratio. Opt for lean, high-protein chicken nuggets. Read next: I’m an MD, And This Is My Anti-Inflammatory Morning Routine 3. Additionally, a research study from 2010 concluded that the risk of salmonella was considerably lower in organic chickens than in conventionally-farmed chickens - another reason why we love this pick. Rather than looking for antibiotic-free chicken, you can also simply opt for nuggets that are certified organic, which ensures that the chicken has been fed exclusively organic food and received no antibiotics. So, how do you avoid this kind of meat? Choose packages that state”raised without antibiotics” or “no antibiotics ever” when comparing which brand of chicken nuggets to purchase. “Consuming antibiotic-free poultry reduces our exposure to antibiotics which helps to protect our immune system,” Dillon says. So ultimately, if we eat a lot of antibiotic-filled meat, we may not respond well to treatment that requires antibiotics when we really need to fight off an infection - not a great outcome. This can lead to us becoming resistant to antibiotics because the bacteria in our bodies learn how to adapt and survive when antibiotics are present. “Antibiotics can remain in poultry tissues during processing, and when we consume this poultry, we can absorb the antibiotics that remain,” says Dillon. Read next: 25 Delicious Whole Grain Breakfast Bowls to Fuel Your Day 2. “I checked out some gluten-free nuggets to see if higher-protein flours were used, but it seems that the substitutes for wheat flour in these products are rice flour and cornflake crumbs, which do not provide much more protein (if more protein at all) than wheat flour,” says Dillon. “Whole grains provide more nutrients and fiber than their counterparts,” says Dillon.Īnd be careful before you assume gluten-free means it’s immediately healthier. Instead, look for terms with the word “whole” in it, such as “whole grain,” or “whole wheat,” as this correctly identifies that the product is made from a true whole grain. “Just because an ingredient list states multigrain, wheat, or stoneground does not mean the product is actually a whole grain,” Dillon says. Fiber is important because it keeps us full and helps regulate digestion,” says Dillon.īut determining whether the product you’re holding actually contains whole grains can be tricky. “Whole grains not only contain important vitamins and minerals, but they also provide fiber. “Instead, these options will use whole-grain breading, cauliflower, and other plant sources to get that crispness.” “In recent years, there have been a variety of chicken nuggets introduced into the market that avoid using enriched flour,” says Dr. Now, here’s the long way to tell if the product you’re buying is truly healthy: 1. “This indicates that there are fewer fillers and artificial preservatives in the nugget, and that the nugget provides more chicken.” One quick way to determine the best healthy frozen chicken nuggets in your grocery store? “Look for a short ingredient list,” says Dillon. Kara says, who also notes that no chicken nugget is going to be as healthy as, say, a poached chicken breast, but acknowledges that they can certainly play a role in a healthy diet. “These aspects of chicken make it a beneficial meat to consume for weight management, immunity, digestion, bone strength, and overall wellness,” Dr. Along with being a low-calorie, high-protein food, chicken also contains essential vitamins and minerals like vitamin B, vitamin D, calcium, and iron. Primarily, the healthiest part of a nugget is, unsurprisingly, the chicken itself. Related: Sign up to receive delicious recipes, expert advice, and shopping tips in your inbox! How to determine healthy frozen chicken nuggetsĪs it turns out, chicken nuggets aren’t all the same. of KaraMD, Meghan Dillon, R.D., at HelloFresh, and Maria Sorbara Mora, M.S., RD. But they’re also made of chicken (an excellent source of protein) so there are definitely some nutritional benefits to them - right? We investigated whether healthy chicken nuggets could actually exist - and what the best brands on the market are - with the help of Mahmud Kara, M.D. After all, they’re covered in breading and they’re typically fried. They seem like they’d have to be patently unhealthy. It’s easy to rationalize eating foods we love in these moments, even though we know they’re not the healthiest: like chicken nuggets. We all have comfort foods that we turn to when we’re stressed or sad or when everything around us is going a bit wild.
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