65 Canned Chicken Nutrition Facts: Are They A Good Substitute?

Let's be honest, most of us won't gravitate towards buying canned meat unless in case of an emergency.

Canned meat, like canned chicken breast, has the reputation of being overly processed. Some people even think that the cans might not even contain proper meat and rather offal.

However, there are times when we are in such a hurry that preparing a fresh chicken can be quite tedious. So, knowing about the efficacy of canned chicken can truly tell us if the meat can give us the important daily values of nutrition without touching the ceiling of our calorie needs. One good thing is that more brands have been coming up with a more wholesome and free-range chicken production leading to better quality canned food. Hence, let's check out if buying canned chicken can be a viable option for your daily diet.

Keep reading to know more about the nutritional facts of canned chicken.

Also, read about canned black beans nutrition facts and canned corn nutrition facts here on Kidadl.

Fun Facts About Canned Chicken

Here are some of the fun facts about canned chicken breast that you should know.

Contrary to popular belief, canned chicken can be pretty healthy if you make the right choice. If you are calorie conscious some things that you need to check are the total cholesterol value, the salt content as well as the total fat to get the best deal. Try to find canned chicken breast or meat that's packed in water for the lowest calories.

Most canned chicken is actually fully cooked white meat packed in water. So, you can just discard off the water to reduce the salt and proceed to use the chicken.

Canned chicken, like most other cooked meat, available in cans comes under processed food. That's because the chicken has been cooked and processed before the canning process. But, just because it has been processed before doesn't make it a villain. Most canned chicken breast and other meat come in saltwater for natural preservation. So, before buying, check the label to look for any additives.

Nutritional Facts About Canned Chicken

We have to say that the nutritional facts of canned chicken will differ between brands. Moreover, the nutritional value can even change based on the part of a chicken that has been canned. So, here are some of the nutritional facts for chicken sold in a can.

If you are buying canned chicken breast, it's much likely to have less calories compared to one that comes with chicken thigh meat. On top of that, canned chicken can come in a base which can either be plain salted water or more of a curry base, and the latter will have a boost in calories. The basic canned chicken with 5 oz (125 g) meat has around 231 calories, of which around 91 calories come from fat. As you would know, chicken meat, especially chicken breast, has only a minimum amount of carbohydrates, and the carb content is around 0.0.3 oz (1.1 g) in terms of daily values. Hence, if you are on a diet like a keto or paleo, canned chicken breast foods won't affect the net carbs. To get the best-canned chicken breast without adding up on calories, you can try to find organic chicken that is in water. The best part about using canned chicken breast is the instant boost in protein that you get. Most servings can give you up to 0.35 oz (10 g) of protein which adds up to the daily values of foods.

Dietary fiber is essential for keeping the gut healthy. Consuming enough dietary fiber can prevent constipation. However, canned chicken has a very low amount of dietary fiber. It provides less than 2% of dietary fiber in terms of daily values.

Apart from the much-needed protein, canned chicken breast or any other meat can give a good boost of vitamins and minerals like calcium and potassium through meals. Calcium is important for maintaining bone health. Some servings of canned chicken can give as much as 1.3% of calcium and 5% potassium that you will need in a day. The only thing to be wary of is the cholesterol value based on the total fat. Try to pick a can that doesn't have any extra added fat, carbs, and the total fat comes from the chicken itself.

Harmful Facts About Canned Chicken

Although canned chicken is quite healthy and not harmful, here are some things that you should be careful about while picking up canned chicken breast.

Canned chicken breast or meat can be pretty good in meals as it provides a good amount of protein along with the needed vitamins, and minerals like calcium and potassium. However, the only thing to check in a canned chicken is the sodium content. This is usually determined by the amount of salt present in each can. The sodium value may change based on the brand of canned chicken breast. But, if you are interested to lose weight, just make sure to discard the saltwater to avoid bloating. It also has fewer net carbs and calories compared to other canned food. And, yes, canned chicken has all the nutritional values and healthy carbs that help you with losing weight.

Facts About Canned Chicken Preparation Process

Preparing canned chicken breast is easy as you can generally have it right out of the can.

To make things a bit tastier, you can toss canned chicken breast into a salad or even a curry. You can even put a shredded canned chicken breast on a sandwich- just mix it with cheese, mayonnaise, and mustard. Having said that, the only thing to check is the sodium or salt content of canned chicken breast or meat. In most cases, you can entirely skip any further salt to keep the sodium content low for your diet and meet calorie needs for a day.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for 65 canned chicken nutrition facts: are they a good substitute? then why not take a look at canned oysters nutrition facts or canned peaches nutrition facts.