Chicken breast may be the most popular source of protein for dieters, but dark-meat chicken can still be a good -- and flavorful -- choice. White meat from the breast tends to be drier than meat from a skinless baked drumstick. To keep your chicken from becoming dry during baking, the Mayo Clinic website suggests occasionally basting it.
Calories and Macronutrients
A baked or roasted chicken drumstick without the skin has 76 calories and no carbohydrates. The chicken has 2 g total fat and only 1 g saturated fat. Saturated fat raises levels of cholesterol in your blood and may increase your risk of developing heart disease, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. The recommendation for healthy adults is no more than 10 percent of total calories, or 22 g saturated fat, on a 2,000-calorie daily diet. A chicken drumstick has 12 g of protein.
Cholesterol
A skinless baked chicken drumstick has 41 mg cholesterol. Cholesterol raises levels of bad LDL cholesterol in your blood, according to the 2010 Dietary Guidelines. Healthy adults should not have more than 300 mg of cholesterol daily, and those with heart disease or high cholesterol should not have more than 200 mg. A diet that is low in saturated fat can reduce the effects of dietary cholesterol in your blood.
Sodium
A baked chicken drumstick without the skin has 42 mg of sodium. Too much sodium in your diet can lead to high blood pressure or keep you from lowering your blood pressure if it is already high, according to the 2010 Dietary Guidelines. The recommended maximum daily intake of sodium is 2,300 mg for healthy adults and 1,500 mg for those with high blood pressure.
Other Nutrients
Chicken is a good source of niacin, or vitamin B-3, which assists metabolism and helps you maintain healthy skin, according to the Linus Pauling Institute. A drumstick has 2.7 mg of niacin, or 27 percent of your daily value. Zinc is necessary for fighting infections, and the drumstick provides 1.4 mg, or 9 percent of the daily value. Vitamin B-6 is also necessary for metabolism, and a drumstick has 0.2 mg of vitamin B-6, or 10 percent of your daily value.
References
- Mayo Clinic; Healthy Cooking Techniques: Boost Flavor and Cut Calories; April 2011
- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2010; January 2010
- U.S. Department of Agriculture: Poultry Products
- Linus Pauling Institute Micronutrient Information Center; Niacin; Victoria Drake; June 2007
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