Deep-fried chicken has a reputation for being unhealthy. This is due to the number of calories and the amount of cholesterol packed inside each piece. When you're biting into deep-fried chicken, you may be wondering if it is as bad for you as everyone says it is. While it may not be the healthiest choice, if eaten in moderation, it is not as bad as its reputation suggests it might be.
Ingredients
The ingredients in most deep-fried chicken recipes include some basic items. One basic ingredient is the oil used for frying the chicken, which is often vegetable oil. Flour also is used in a deep-fried chicken recipe to coat the chicken when breading to ensure a crunchier outside. Typically, milk or eggs are used as an adhesive when breading the chicken. Sometimes, milk is used as a marinade for the chicken. Depending on the recipe, bread crumbs, cracker crumbs, premade breading or corn flakes are used. Other ingredients include seasonings and the chicken piece itself.
Deep Fried Chicken Wings
Deep fried chicken wings are a commonly made deep-fried chicken dish. For this particular example, the wings are not breaded but covered in hot sauce instead. Chicken wings prepared this way contain 256 calories for every six wings you eat. For every six wings, you get 23.9 g total fat and zero saturated fat or trans fat. In addition, deep-fried chicken wings contain 10 g protein, which is 20 percent of your daily recommended value.
Southern Fried Chicken
Southern fried chicken is one type of breaded deep-fried chicken that is not as healthy as deep-fried chicken wings. For this particular example, chicken quarters are being used. If you eat one southern fried chicken quarter, you are eating 444.8 calories. In one quarter, there is 28.5 g total fat. Of this dish, 43 percent of calories are from fat. However, 72 percent of your daily recommend protein value is met with this chicken recipe.
Chicken
The chicken is the healthiest part of any deep-fried chicken recipe. Chicken is filled with protein that is beneficial for your muscles. In one-half of a chicken breast, there are 25 g protein. This chicken breast, however, contains a great deal of cholesterol. In fact, there are 70 mg cholesterol in one-half a chicken breast. In this one-half of a chicken breast, there are approximately 170 calories as well as 7 g total fat.
Oil
Vegetable oil is usually used to deep fry with. It is a relatively healthy alternative to many types of frying oils. This particular example is for canola oil. In every cup of vegetable oil, there are approximately 1,920 calories. There is also 216 g total fat. Of this fat, 24 g are from saturated fat. Zero grams of fat are from trans fat. Canola oil does not contain any vitamins. Additionally, it does not contain any protein or minerals.
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