Calories in 8 oz chicken breast; chicken is a meat with well-known virtues. Chicken has long been considered a go-to food for a healthy menu.

All meat and poultry do not contain carbohydrates, and chicken, in particular, contains a small amount of fat compared to meat, making it low in calories. Each part of a chicken has a different number of calories than the other, so the calories in a chicken thigh differ from the number of calories in wings; the same is the number of calories in chicken breast.

1. How many calories in 8 oz chicken breast?

There are 376 calories in 8 oz chicken breast (boneless, skinless chicken breast). 

Chicken breast is the most popular cut of chicken; high in protein and low in fat, which makes it a good choice for people trying to lose weight.

A cooked skinless and boneless chicken breast (172 grams) exhibits the following nutritional alterations (1):

Calories: 284

Protein: 53.4 grams

Carbohydrates: 0 grams

Fat: 6.2 grams

A 3.5-ounce (100-gram) serving of chicken breast contains 165 calories, 31 grams of protein, and 3.6 grams of fat.

This means that about 80% of the calories in a chicken breast come from protein and 20% from fat.

Keep in mind that these amounts refer to a chicken breast without adding ingredients. Once you cook it in oil or add marinades or sauces, you increase the total number of calories, carbohydrates, and fat.

Related: Cooked chicken breasts; methods and techniques

2. Calories in 8 oz chicken breast; Chicken skin adds calories

While about 180 g of skinless chicken breast contains 300 calories and 80% protein, and 20% fat, these numbers vary widely when you include the skin.

One cooked boneless chicken breast, with skin (196 grams) contains:

Calories: 386

Protein: 58.4 grams

Fat: 15.2 grams

In a skinned chicken breast, 50% of the calories come from protein and 50% from fat. Plus, eating the skin adds almost 100 calories.

Likewise, a skinned chicken wing (34 grams) contains 99 calories, compared to 42 calories in a skinless wing (21 grams). So 60% of the calories in skinned chicken wings come from fat, compared to 36% in a skinless wing.

So, if you are controlling your weight or fat intake, eat your skinless chicken to minimize calories and fat.

3. Calories in 8 oz chicken breast; The benefits of chicken breast

In general, chicken is one of the foods rich in important nutrients, and it is an important component of a healthy diet. Chicken brings many benefits to the body when consumed. Besides being low in calories, it is rich in protein that brings multiple benefits to the body, including:

  • It may contribute in losing weight because protein promotes the feeling of satiety.
  • It may aid muscle growth with resistance exercise.
  • Protein helps metabolize calcium, which is important for bone health.
  • Boosts male fertility as it contains testosterone.
  • Control of blood pressure: the consumption of chicken, in general, is beneficial in controlling blood pressure.
  • Skinless breasts are a good source of vitamin B6. It contains 20% of the recommended daily value.
  • Chicken breast is a great source of niacin. Skinless breast contains 100% of the recommended daily value.
  • Skinless chicken breast is an excellent source of pantothenate. It contains 30% of the recommended daily value.
  • Chicken breast relieves stress during the day because it contains two important nutrients for the body, namely tryptophan and vitamin B5.

Originally published on Live Positively.