Snacking on chicken wings with honey and fresh garlic provides protein, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus and potassium. Honey adds carbohydrates to the list, along with small amounts of calcium and potassium. Garlic also adds small amounts of calcium and potassium. Adding herbs and spices and serving milk, cheese and salads with your wings provides additional nutrients, such as vitamin A from parsley or vitamin C from lemon juice and tomatoes, making a more nutritious, balanced, digestible meal.
Protein
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends 56 g of protein daily for men over age 19 and 46 g per day for women. A 3.5-ounce serving of chicken wing meat provides a little over 30 g of protein.
Carbohydrates and Calories
A single tablespoon of honey added to a 3.5-ounce serving of chicken wings provides more than 17 g of carbohydrate, but more than doubles the calorie content of the dish. If you want the sweet wings with fewer calories, a tablespoon of molasses makes a healthy substitute for honey. Molasses provides almost 3 g fewer carbohydrates, 26 times as much potassium and five times the choline of honey.
Magnesium
A single serving of chicken wings also provides 21 mg of magnesium. Magnesium supports the immune system, regulates blood-sugar levels, promotes normal blood pressure and contributes to energy metabolism and protein synthesis, according to the Office of Dietary Supplements.
Phosphorus
Phosphorus helps the body filter waste through the kidneys and balances magnesium and vitamin D levels. It also reduces bone pain, stiff joints, numbness and weakness. Adults over age 19 need 700 mg of phosphorus per day for optimum health. Chicken wings with honey and garlic provide 166 mg of potassium per 3.5-ounce serving.
Potassium
Chicken wings with honey and raw garlic have 233 mg of potassium per 3.5-ounce serving. Potassium maintains the balance between sodium, magnesium and calcium in the body. Potassium also helps you maintain a regular heartbeat, prevents muscles from cramping and causes smooth and skeletal muscle to contract and relax.
Calcium
A single serving of honey-garlic chicken wings provides 22 mg of calcium. Calcium builds strong bones and teeth and helps the blood vessels to constrict and dilate as needed. It also increases or decreases blood flow to help transport oxygen and nutrients throughout the body, regulating body temperature and controlling blood pressure. Adding a glass of milk, cheddar cheese or spinach to your meal helps ensure that you reach the recommended daily intake of 1,000 mg per day.
References
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Protein
- USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference
- Office of Dietary Supplements, National Institutes of Health: Dietary Supplement Fact Sheet: Magnesium
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Phosphorus
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Potassium
- Office of Dietary Supplements, National Institutes of Health: Dietary Supplement Fact Sheet: Calcium
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