Chicken is a versatile and adaptable protein served in countless ways in innumerable dishes. A large section of our society is omnipresent, that is, people who eat vegetables and cereals as well as meat in their diet. Chicken is a diet that has always been everyone’s favourite. The reason is, easy availability, soft meat and its low price. Now, if you talk about health benefits, chicken is considered to be the best. It not only prevents many deadly diseases but also considered helpful in getting rid of them. In this article, we will tell you what is chicken breast, how much protein in 6 oz chicken breast and the benefits of eating chicken that you hardly know about it.
What is Chicken Breast?
Chicken breast is a lean cut of meat taken from pectoral muscle at the bottom of the chicken. Each whole chicken has a chicken breast with two parts, which is usually separated during the butcher process and sold as separate breasts. Its have many health benefits and most expensive part compared to thighs, wings and drumsticks.
This versatile part can be grilled, baked, roasted, fried, barbecued and boiled in countless ways. Chicken should always be handled carefully. Utensils and hands should be thoroughly washed with soap and hot water to prevent food safety risks.
How Much Protein in 6 Oz Chicken Breast?
Chicken is a favourite both for children and adults. Its softness, taste and strength often make it better choice than other meats. It is also nutritious.
Nowadays, people who are trying to shred body fat or build muscles, they prefer chicken breast instead of other parts. As it is low in calories and have high protein content.
Chicken breast has many serving sizes like 1 oz chicken breast protein, 4 oz chicken breast protein, 8 oz chicken breast protein, 1 lb chicken breast protein and many more. But one of the top option is 6 oz chicken breast.
Let’s find out how many grams of protein contain in 6 oz chicken breast.
Total Protein in 6 Oz Chicken Breast.
In general, 6 oz chicken breast with skin contains 63% protein and 37% fat (mostly from skin). If you like something low in fat, just choose skinless chicken as it will give you about 79% protein and only 21% fat.
According to different information resources, 6 ounces of raw chicken breast contains about 38 grams of protein. However, six ounces of cooked chicken breast contain about 50 grams of protein.
If you are looking for very accurate information, check the nutritional label before buying any product.
Nutrition Content in 6 Oz Chicken Breast.
![Nutrition facts of chicken breast](https://freaktofit.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Nutrition-facts-of-chicken-breast-463x600.jpg)
According to USDA the nutrition content in frozen 6 oz chicken breast is(1)
Calorie: 194kcal.
Carbs:0.
Fat 4g (20%).
Protein: 36g (80%).
Does it Give you Enough Protein?
Dietary guidelines recommend 0.38 grams of protein (1 grams of protein per kilogram) per pound of body weight. You can make a quick calculation and find out exactly how much protein you need.
Remember that these numbers are for an average person. Some groups of people, such as bodybuilders, athletes, low-carb diet followers, etc., need a lot of protein. Therefore, if necessary, you should consider including other protein rich products in your diet.
Also, you don’t have to eat chicken every day, even if you need too much protein. Obtaining macronutrients from various sources helps in overall nutrition, especially when it comes to meeting your micronutrient requirements.
Health Benefits of 6 oz Chicken Breast Protein.
The low-fat protein found in chicken breast provide you many health benefits. It is an excellent source of lean protein. Chicken is also a good source of vitamin B, vitamin D, calcium, iron, zinc and vitamin A and vitamin C.
Compared to other red meats, it contains two to three times more polyunsaturated fats and monounsaturated fats – healthier fats than red meat.
Chicken also contains a total of 0 carbohydrates, 0 trans fats, and low in sodium. This diet is not a good source of fiber. So, now lets see the health benefits of 6 oz chicken breast protein.
Build and Maintain Muscles.
![muscle](https://freaktofit.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/muscle-600x600.png)
Protein assist your body to maintain muscles and also helps to build muscles with a combination of a strength training program. A research on 2016 proved that, loss of muscle and strength is directly linked to mortality in older people.
Strengthens Bones.
![bones](https://freaktofit.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/bones-603x600.jpg)
Scientists and doctors once believed that a diet consisting high quantity of animal proteins could reduce bone density and increase the risk of bone fractures. However, recent study suggests that protein works with calcium to strengthen bones. So, it is important to consume enough protein to keep bones strong and healthy.
Reduces Appetite.
Intake of protein helps you to feel full, which can help you to reduce your desire to eat and prevent overeating. For example, a small study on overweight men on a low-calorie diet found that people who ate more protein “showed improvement in appetite control and satiety”.
Beneficial for Heart.
![Heart](https://freaktofit.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/heart-917x600.jpg)
Consumption of chicken can control bad cholesterol (LDL) and fat content.(2) Both these elements are known as a major risk factor for obesity and heart related problems.(3)
For this reason, it can be said that consumption of chicken can help to eradicate the problem of obesity as well as heart problems. But note that, it is depends upon your cooking style. Avoid spicy, oily and fried chicken recipes.
Prevent Cancer.
![cancer cells](https://freaktofit.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/cancer-cells-900x600.jpg)
According to experts, chicken is rich in an element called Gossypol which can reduce the risks of breast cancer. This element is not naturally present in chicken. Therefore, during poultry farming, they are given through food items containing this element.
The meat of such chickens contains a fraction of this element. That is why it is advisable to eat chicken rich in an element called gossypol to prevent cancer.
Helpful in Weight Loss.
![weight](https://freaktofit.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/weight-900x600.jpg)
Chicken is a source of protein that contains more energy and less fat. It is considered as a treasure of protein. It can help in making muscles with weight loss in people who work out regularly. Chicken can help you with this task if you are also trying to lose weight.
The reason is that, it soothes hunger and acts as a necessary energy to the body. This not only nourishes you but also reduces the feeling of hunger. You have to keep in mind that consume it in a balanced amount for weight loss.
Also include chicken in the diet as a healthy way. Make it steamed, grilled or roasted. Including fried and oily chicken recipes in diet can increase your weight. Keep exercising regularly along with consuming chicken.(4)
Control Blood Pressure.
![hypertension](https://freaktofit.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/hypertension-867855_1280-1-900x600.jpg)
Chicken is also beneficial in the problem of high blood pressure. According to a research, it acts as a control measure of blood pressure, weight and height in children and adolescents, which is essential for their physical and mental development.(5)
On the other hand, in case of high blood pressure problems in adults, doctors recommend eating chicken as a source for protein and energy due to low fat.(6)
It can be believed that chicken can be helpful in reducing the risk of blood pressure. But keep in mind that chicken should be consumed in limited quantities. Consuming oily and fried chicken can be harmful.
Reduce Cholesterol Level.
Doctors recommend to consume a diet with low fat and low cholesterol to control the level of high cholesterol. On the other hand, chicken is rich in fat and cholesterol. Chicken breast contains the lowest fat and more protein.
It is advisable to eat chicken breast to reduce high cholesterol levels. Therefore, it can be said that chicken breast has beneficial effect in controlling the amount of cholesterol.(7)
Note that, improper cooking of chicken can also increase your cholesterol level. It should be consumed with less spices and oil to overcome cholesterol problem.
Rich in Protein, Vitamins and Minerals.
Chicken especially, chicken breast is low in fat and energy but high in protein and iron, sodium and vitamin C. It play an important role for the nutrition of our body. It also effective to eradicate many serious health problems caused by nutrient deficiency.
Boost Metabolism.
According to experts, chicken has properties that control blood sugar and increase insulin activity, which are related to the process of metabolism. So, consuming chicken can also strengthen the process of metabolism in the human body.
Beneficial in Anemia.
![Sepsis 6 oz chicken breast protein](https://freaktofit.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Sepsis-4.jpg)
One of the major risk factors of anemia is iron deficiency. Chicken is a good source of iron, which provide beneficial results in case of anemia problem.
Improve Immunity.
Use of chicken along with other foods improve your immunity power. According to experts, chicken mainly contains some natural bacteria, which enhance the ability to fight against diseases and boost immunity power.
Depression.
![Depression 6 oz chicken breast protein](https://freaktofit.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Depression-3.jpg)
Consumption of chicken is beneficial for health as well as your mental improvement. According to experts, it contains certain elements which reduce depression along with other problems like stress and anxiety.(9)
Benefits of Chicken Breast for Nails.
Protein plays an important role in strengthening nails and bones and helps in keeping away related disorders. (10) So, chicken is a good source of protein. For this reason, it is found that chicken helps in keeping away nail related disorders (nail breakage, sticking or weakening).
Read Now: Top 10 Yoga Asanas for Lipoma |
Protect Against Cold.
It is always advisable to drink chicken soup to prevent cold. Chicken soup assist to open the closed nose and flush out mucus accumulated in the chest with the causes of the cold to end. (11)
Benefits of Chicken for Eyes.
![eye 6 oz chicken breast protein](https://freaktofit.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/eye.jpg)
Chicken also contains zinc along with other nutrients and vitamin C (12), which is considered to be helpful in increasing eyesight.(13) Therefore, it would not be wrong to say that its intake can also be beneficial for the eyes.
Beneficial for Skin.
![skin 6 oz chicken breast protein](https://freaktofit.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/skin.jpg)
As earlier mentioned, chicken contains vitamin C along with protein, energy and many essential minerals. On the other hand, vitamin C is considered beneficial in many skin disorders such as allergies, fungal infections, skin aging and sunburn.(14) For this reason, we can say that consumption of chicken can keep many skin problems at bay.
Side Effects of Excess Consumption of Chicken.
Although consumption of chicken is beneficial in many ways, but there are some side effects too(15)
- Chicken cooked with skin can cause obesity problems.
- Chicken cooked on high heat can increase the risks of cancer.
- Excessive intake also puts you at risk of developing diabetes.
- Chicken prepared with more oily or fatty substances can also aggravate heart related problems.
- Consuming chicken can also lead to some diseases caused by chickens.
What is the Best Way to Cook Chicken?
Grilled chicken breasts are healthier than fried chicken. It is true that you can save money by grilling your own chicken breast, but it is also true that you will prepare more healthy food in the long run.
The chicken with skin should be avoid if you are in low fat diet. Of course, grilling chicken breasts provides an amazing food experience that you can enjoy more than fried chicken breasts.
Read Now: Plant Based Meat-Loaded with Nutrients |
Alternative Protein Options For Chicken Breasts.
Non-veg options for chicken breast
- Steak.
- Eggs.
- Turkish.
- Dolphin tuna.
- Anchovies.
- Turkey breast.
Vegetarian Options for Chicken Breast
- Pulses.
- Soybean.
- Mushroom.
- Mixed nut.
- Milk.
If you are not ready to give up your meat due to your high protein levels, you can always raise poultry, such as turkey or eggs of chicken.
These types of poultry are lean meats and hence provide good amounts of protein. However, chicken breast is a great option for many foods, especially chicken breast with some extra vegetables in it.
Bottom Line.
Chicken especially chicken breast is a very good options when you need a good protein source and trying to plan a low calorie diet. Chicken in your diet plan will provide you lean protein and keep your diet plan on track. I hope now you have full information regarding 6 oz chicken breast protein. Don’t forget to share with your loved ones to give the necessary information.
+14 Sources
Freaktofit has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, educational research institutes, and medical organizations. We avoid using tertiary references. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and up-to-date by reading our editorial policy.
- Usda – 6 oz. Chicken Breast – Boneless and Skinless – Frozen; https://www.myfitnesspal.com/food/calories/usda-6-oz-chicken-breast-boneless-and-skinless-frozen-373172559
- Weight loss and total lipid profile changes in overweight women consuming beef or chicken as the primary protein source; https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12714091/
- Dietary Fat and Cholesterol and Risk of Cardiovascular Disease in Older Adults: the Health ABC Study; https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2911502/
- Frequent consumption of selenium-enriched chicken meat by adults causes weight loss and maintains their antioxidant status; https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20809267/
- Red meat and chicken consumption and its association with high blood pressure and obesity in South Korean children and adolescents: a cross-sectional analysis of KSHES, 2011-2015; https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28532405/
- High blood pressure and diet; https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/007483.htm
- Tips to Control Your Cholesterol; https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/educational/healthdisp/pdf/tipsheets/Tips-to-Control-Your-Cholesterol.pdf
- The Effect of Chicken Extract on Mood, Cognition and Heart Rate Variability; https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4344566/
- Nail Properties and Bone Health: A Review; https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6023356/
- Chicken soup and sickness; https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/002067.htm
- Zinc; https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Zinc-HealthProfessional/
- Nutrients for the aging eye; https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3693724/
- The Roles of Vitamin C in Skin Health; https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5579659/
- Role of poultry meat in a balanced diet aimed at maintaining health and wellbeing: an Italian consensus document; https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4462824/