Do you want to know “How many calories in a chicken breast?” Well this article will show you. Chicken breast is an excellent source of lean protein, so you can get the nutrients your body needs, without having to consume excessive calories.
The calories in a chicken breast are listed below, along with the carbs in a chicken breast, protein in a chicken breast, and fat in a chicken breast. This chart assumes a 100g chicken breast (3.5oz), cooked without oil.
| Chicken Breast | Calories | Fats | Fiber | Protein | Serving Size |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken Breast 100g | 165 | 3.5g | 0g | 31g | 100g (3.5oz) |
| 1 Chicken Breast | 142 | 3.07g | 0g | 26.6g | 86g |
As you can see from the calories in a chicken breast table on the left, lean chicken breast contains a high amount of protein, bit no carbohydrate and only a very small quantity of fat (about 3%). This makes chicken breast an excellent source of protein for people on a low or restricted calorie diet. In fact, many weight loss programs include lean chicken breast as a part of their menu or nutritional plan. Body-builders and athletes will also have chicken breast as part of their diet, as the chicken breast contains lots of vitamins and nutrients that are needed for muscle development, including the minerals potassium and phosphorus.
Calories in a Chicken Breast
How it is cooked has an important impact on how many calories in a chicken breast however. If meat is cooked without adding oils or butters, it remains low in calories. But the calories in a chicken breast go up significantly if it is coated in batter and fried in oil for example. Roasting or grilling the chicken breast are often the best methods to cook it without having to add anything to the chicken, but frying it in a pan with butter will definitely increase the calorie content.
Chicken breast is so versatile that you can use it in a range of low calorie meals. Even cooking it up in a pan along with some lemon juice, a splash of white wine, garlic, and mixed vegetables can make a healthy and nutritious meal that is rich in vitamins, high in protein and tastes great.
Or try baking the chicken breast in the oven with some tomatoes, herbs, and spices to make a rich Italian-style dish. There are plenty of other low calorie meals that contain grilled chicken breast as well, and so you can eat something hearty and filling, without having too many calories. How many calories in chicken breast without skin has even less calories than other parts of the chicken, such as the chicken thigh or the chicken wings, making chicken breast a very lean and healthy choice.
Keep in mind that eating low calorie food like chicken breast is only one half of the health and well-being equation. You also need to make sure that you get enough exercise to keep your body working at it’s best. This exercise doesn’t need to be anything excessive; even a jog around the block a few times per week will make a huge difference to your health. Also, if you are eating low calorie foods for the purpose of weight loss, then exercise will assist you in achieving your targets. It’s not just how many calories you eat that’s important, it’s also how many calories you burn off in your daily exercises and activities.
Along with all the protein in a chicken breast, there are also plenty of other nutrients. In 100g of chicken breast there are the following vitamins:
- Vitamin B1 (thiamine) – 0.066 mg
- Vitamin B2 (riboflavin) – 0.119 mg
- Niacin – 12.71 mg
- Pantothenic Acid – 0.936 mg
- Vitamin B6 – 0.56 mg
- Folate – 4 mcg
- Vitamin B12 – 0.32 mcg
- Vitamin A – 93 IU
- Vitamin E – 0.27 mg
- Vitamin K – 0.3 mcg
- Vitamin D – 5 IU
How Many Minerals in a Chicken Breast
Along with the calories chicken breasts contain, there are also many minerals that your body needs. In 100g of chicken breast you can find the following minerals:
- Potassium – 245 mg
- Phosphorus – 214 mg
- Calcium – 14 mg
- Magnesium- 27 mg
- Iron – 1.07 mg
- Sodium – 71 mg
- Manganese – 0.018 mg
- Zinc – 1.02 mg
- Copper – 0.05 mg
- Selenium – 24.7 mcg
Chicken breast is a high protein, low to moderate calorie food, which will usually find a place in just about anyone’s diet, particularly if you require plenty of lean protein (such as when you are gaining muscle). Eggs are the other well known high protein/low calories food.
