5 Health Benefits Of Eating Chicken

The staple food of every non-vegetarian, chicken in any form, be it stew, soup or salad is great for your health. The most common poultry in the world, chicken has been domesticated and consumed as food for thousands of years and rightly so. The health benefits of eating chicken are enormous. It is not only a rich source of a variety of essential nutrients and vitamins, it is also reputed to be one of the safest meats available, as it is least associated with any kind of side effects. We list down five more reasons you should bite into your chicken more often.

1) Natural anti-depressant

We have long found comfort in having a big plain bowl of chicken soup, haven't we? Chicken, like turkey, is high in amino acids, particularly tryptophan, which gives us the comforting feeling. In fact, if you're feeling depressed, eating some poultry will increase your serotonin levels (a hormone which controls depression) in your brain, enhances your mood and reduces stress, as well as helping you to fall asleep.

2) High in lean protein

Chicken is one of the highest protein suppliers- and not just any protein. It's full of lean proteins- which are the highest quality proteins and are extremely important for our body growth. These low-fat proteins also play an important role in assisting overweight people in losing weight quickly. As proteins are also known as the building blocks of muscles, chicken is also a great source if you're looking for muscle build-up.

3) Keeps bone healthy

Chicken also contains phosphorous which, along with calcium, keeps your bones healthy. In fact, it is an excellent food source for men with weak bones. It is also rich in the mineral selenium that cuts the risk of developing arthritis at later stages of life. Want to kick some butt? Simple, eat chicken!

4) Protects against cancer

Eat the bird to keep cancer at bay! Chicken is rich in vitamin B3 (Niacin), a vitamin that is essential for cancer protection. One small serving of chicken can meet your niacin requirements for the entire day. The selenium in chicken is also believed to be protect against cancer.

5) Boosts metabolism

Vitamin B6 encourages metabolic cellular reaction, which means eating chicken will keep energy levels high while metabolism-burning calories can manage to keep you at a healthy weight level. If you are starting to feel a little tired, try eating some chicken to give your body a boost of nutrients, proteins and calories that will also keep your energy levels ringing.