Today, chicken is one of the most popular protein sources available. A chicken breast has the highest protein content among all chicken cuts. Hence, folks who need to boost their protein intake almost always include chicken breast in their eating plans.
I suppose that four ounces of chicken breast is a common amount for a person to include in a meal. That is why it is important to know just how many grams of protein this cut of meat can provide.
4 Oz chicken breast protein contents
To find the answer I looked for the numbers in the USDA Food Composition Database.
Here is what I found.
A skinless and boneless 4 Oz chicken breast has 25 grams of protein! Along with protein, it consists of 3 grams of fat and 136 calories. It has zero carbohydrates, which makes chicken breast ideal for people on keto or other low carb diets.
If you opt for a 4 Oz chicken breast with skin, expect a higher fat content. The nutritional breakdown of a skinless chicken breast typically includes 80% protein and only 20% fat. By contrast, if it has skin, 50% of the calories come from protein and the other 50% comes from fat.
Keep in mind that the other ingredients you use to prepare the chicken will also add to its macronutrient value. The nutrient specifics above are only applicable for a roasted, broiled, or grilled chicken breast with few additional ingredients.
When you add things like batter, breading, cooking oil, and sauces, the calories will add up. For example, when you fry four ounces of chicken breast, it can easily go up from 136 calories to as much as 300!
Getting enough protein
When you plan your daily protein consumption, please keep in mind that it should be around 0.4 grams for every pound of body weight (0.8 grams/kilogram). For example, if you weigh 160 pounds, you should eat around 64 grams of protein per day.
What’s more, folks who want to pack on serious muscle mass may even need to double the recommended protein requirement. Their daily protein intake easily could reach 130 grams for a 160-pound person.
Generally speaking, a four ounce chicken breast by itself can’t cover the average daily protein requirement for an adult, so you should consider eating many portions of four ounce chicken breast per day. Alternatively, you can supplement your everyday dishes with other protein sources like eggs, tofu, beef, and so on.
Alternatives to chicken breast protein
If you’re bored with chicken breast and would like to try something else, that’s fine. After all, diets are much more sustainable when you enjoy them.
Pork tenderloin is one of many examples of foods which can replace chicken breast. A four ounce serving of raw pork tenderloin has only 123 calories, 2.5 grams of fat and protein will be about 24 grams.
If you prefer plant-based protein sources then you can try chickpeas. A four ounce package of chickpeas contains 10 grams of protein, 3 grams of fat, and a medium amount of carbs – 31 grams. All that totals 196 calories. It might not be the richest of protein sources, but it also provides many essential minerals for your body like calcium, magnesium, and potassium.
This is a very great post with useful information, thank you!