Which chicken meat is healthier - dark or white?

One of the lengthy debates in the world of healthy nutrition is whether dark or white chicken meat is healthier. Many nutritionists claim that white meat is healthier than dark meat, and that you should always choose chicken breast over thigh or drumstick. Although, many people find the darker parts of the bird tastier.

 

Much of this advice is based on the fact that white chicken is lower in calories and fat. Recently, however, an increasing number of experts are talking about the high nutrient density of dark chicken meat. Let's find out more.

 

The benefits of white meat

 

Everything that is said about white meat is true: it usually has less calories and fat than dark meat.

 

Chicken leg with skin on (85 g) contains 197 kcal, 12,5 g fat, 19,8 g protein.

Skinless chicken leg (85 g): (152 kcal, 6,93 g fat, 21 g protein).

Skinless chicken breast (85 g): 133 kcal, 2,75 g fat, 27,3 g protein.

Chicken breast with skin on (85 g): (with skin): 150 kcal, 8,05 g fat, 18 g protein.

 

For example, a skinless chicken thigh contains about 7g of fat and 2g of saturated fat, while a skinless chicken breast has less than 3g of fat and 1g of saturated fat.

 

Fat and calories aren't always bad, and the amount you need depends on your personal, health and fitness goals and needs. If you need to control your saturated fat intake, white poultry is the best choice for sure.

 

However, in this case, you should also pay attention to the method of preparation of white chicken meat. If you are going to consume it wrapped in pastry or fried in oil, you will immediately gain fat. If you want to reduce the fat content to a minimum, it is better to eat fried, baked, or boiled chicken breast.

 

The benefits of dark meat

 

As we already know, white chicken meat is usually lower in calories and contains less fat, but we shouldn't completely ignore dark meat either. Dark chicken meat, such as thighs and drumsticks are known to contain higher amounts of certain vitamins and nutrients.

 

Dark meat contains more iron, zinc, selenium, and group B vitamins, making it the best choice for those, who are trying to increase their iron intake, while zinc helps to support the immune system.

 

All types of meat have their advantages.

 

Finally, both white and dark chicken meat have their advantages and disadvantages. White meat is for those who would like to eat chicken meat with a lower fat intake, while dark meat can provide more nutrients.

 

The skin is also worth mentioning. Chicken skin is mainly made up of fat, most of which is saturated, which adds a significant number of calories to the lean protein. However, this does not mean that you should completely avoid it, you just need to be aware of it and not overdo it.

 

So, there is no clearly healthy and clearly unhealthy chicken meat, each part has its advantages and disadvantages. And you should decide which part of the bird to eat based on your health needs and personal preferences.