If you’re serious about getting in shape then you need to make sure that your diet includes a source of good quality protein. My top choice is free-range chicken breast.

Lots of people prefer chicken breast over the leg or wing etc, and I’m no exception. I think the texture and taste are second to none. And don’t forget that chicken will go with just about anything. Omelette, curry, soup, you name it.

What Makes Good Quality Protein An Essential Part Of Every Diet?

Protein helps your body maintain a strong immune system, and healthy organs. But it is also necessary to create a fat burning hormonal environment in your body.

If you include a moderate/ high protein intake to your nutritional program you can enjoy the following benefits:

1. Better body composition (i.e. muscle to fat ratio). 2. Facilitate fat loss. 3. Increase lean muscle mass. 4. Maintain target weight following a weight loss plan.

Balanced protein intake actually helps you maintain regular blood sugar levels. Because protein does not cause a blood sugar spike there is no insulin response. No insulin response means that your body remains in fat burning mode!

Not to mention it keeps you feeling full for longer, and with no insulin response it will help you control junk food cravings and that annoying ‘post meal tiredness’.

The Health Benefits Of Free Range Chicken

Do we care about the conditions our chickens are raised in? We sure do. Gone are the days that we didn’t care if our poultry was brought up in a battery farm. Now it is all about putting food on our plate that lived a healthy, happy life.

You might not have thought about this, but choosing free-range doesn’t just benefit the chickens; it is actually the healthiest choice you can make too.

You Eat What Your Chicken Eats

The problem with battery farmed animals is that they are kept in conditions that don’t allow for any exercise, and they are forced to eat a diet of hormone and antibiotic-enhanced grain.

The result is a lower quality meat, full of bad fats, hormones and toxins.

On the other hand, free range chickens are raised in a natural environment that allows for exercise, relatively little stress, sunlight, and a diet that includes vegetarian grain, greens, insects and worms. What more could a happy chicken want?

As you might have guessed, a happy chicken is a healthy one. Free range meat contains the perfect ration of good to bad fats (omega 3 to omega 6). It is also a great source of bio-available protein, which means it is easier to digest.

Omega 3 fatty acids actually prevent fatty deposits in your heart and other internal organs. It also helps you to maintain an elevated metabolic rate. People that suffer from an omega 3 deficiency are often very over weight.

These days free-range chicken is easy to find. Either at the local grocery store or over the counter at your local butchers. While it is more expensive than mass-produces poultry, the health benefits are there for all to see.

How Much Should I Eat?

Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) is around 0.8g of protein per kg of body weight, per day. If you are currently under this threshold then you should notice the benefits listed above taking effect as you increase your protein intake.

But we’re all different, so there is no magic number. Just remember that the quality of the protein you eat, how it’s cooked and the rest of your nutritional program all have a huge influence on your health and weight loss.

For most normal people, 20-30 grams of protein per meal is all you’ll need. Especially if you are eating 5-6 small meals per day. However, athletes, fitness models and those looking to get in optimum physical condition will often eat even more than that.

Here are some of my favorite chicken dishes:

1. Pastryless chicken, onion and tomato flan. 2. Home made chicken curry with paprika sauted potatoes. 3. Chicken in (home made) tomato sauce with kidney beans, onion, pepper served over a jacket potato.

Enjoy this article? Discover the full List Of Fat Burning Foods for more amazing nutrition facts. For more information about Foods That Burn Fat and how they can help you get rid of unwanted pounds, check out David Thorpe’s blog.