You’ve probably been told over and over how chicken skin is bad for your health. It’s not only fattening, but can also raise cholesterol and blood pressure levels and can even contribute to heart disease. But recent studies have shown this recommendation is wrong after all. There’s no need for you to remove chicken skin before you cook and eat it.
Health experts from the University of Harvard confirmed that eating chicken skin, specifically in moderation, will not cause health problems. Plus, the skin that many people have been avoiding for decades has some benefits, including:
It’s good for the heart.
This is probably the biggest surprise about chicken skin is that it not your heart’s enemy – which has been the main reason why people stay away from it for several years. Like avocados, which have also been shunned because of their fat content, chicken skin contains unsaturated fat, a type of fat that is heart-friendly. Unsaturated fat can help lower both blood pressure and bad cholesterol levels, while regulating hormones.
The calories aren’t that high, especially when compared to skinless chicken.
A 12-ounce serving of chicken with the skin intact just has 50 more calories than skinless chicken of the same serving size.
It’s flavorful.
And what’s good about a flavorful dish? You don’t have to add extra salt to make it tastier. You probably already know the horrors of eating too much salt every day, so it is advised to lower your consumption as much as possible.
Not much oil is absorbed.
Cooking chicken at a high temperature can make the food very oily. Thankfully, the skin is there and it works as a barrier, so you don’t have to worry about too much oil in the inside of the chicken. The oil turns into a crust and any moisture is trapped from going in. This is why even if you avoid eating the chicken skin, you should cook it with the skin as much as possible.
The skin is one of the pleasures of eating chicken. Gone are the days when people are told to set it aside. But it is important to understand that while chicken skin is not entirely evil, it still has more omega-6 than omega-3. The ratio is unbalanced and therefore, this can lead to inflammation if eaten every day in huge amounts. This is why moderation is always key. Additionally, charred skin should be avoided because it not only has little nutritional value, but may also cause your body harm.
SN Health Research