In different cuisines found around the world, there are certain foods that are just better when they are paired with another food, and two of these are chicken and rice. The combination of savory chicken with soft and slightly sweet rice is a match made in heaven, which is why there are currently so many dishes and recipes that are centered on mixing those two ingredients. Some of these dishes include Hainanese chicken, garlic butter chicken and rice, cheesy chicken and rice, and roasted chicken with rice.
Besides being delicious, the combination of chicken and rice is also quite nutritious. In this article, we will be discussing the many health benefits of eating chicken and rice together. So, without further ado, these are the advantages of eating chicken and rice.
Benefits of Eating Chicken
To have a better understanding of how healthy chicken and rice are, we would need to divide their benefits so that we can focus on the nutrients of one particular ingredient. First, let us take a look at the list of health benefits of eating chicken.
Gives You Ample Amounts of Protein
The quintessential benefit that you will get from eating chicken is getting ample amounts of protein, which is important in strengthening the muscles. In addition, protein is also beneficial for increasing bone mineral density, thus helping you have much stronger bones and reduce your body’s risk of getting osteoporosis.
Strengthens the Bones
While protein is already beneficial in making the bones stronger, its benefits are amplified by calcium and phosphorus that are much more effective in keeping bones healthy. By eating meat that is rich in these minerals, you will be able to reduce your body’s chances of getting arthritis and other diseases related to the bones and tendons.
Relieves Stress and Boosts Your Mood
Surprisingly, cooked chicken has the ability to relieve stress and boosts your mood. This benefit is possible through two nutrients that you can get from chicken meat, which are tryptophan (helps the body produce serotonin or the “happy” hormone) and vitamin B5 (helps in producing more energy for the body). So, if you are ever feeling stressed, you can eat a chicken and rice meal for lunch or dinner to alleviate your stress. Moreover, if you have premenstrual syndrome or PMS, you can consume chicken to get magnesium that is effective in reducing the illness’s symptoms.
Improves Your Immune System
Chicken can help boost your immune system through a nutrient called amino acid, a structural unit that is effective in building better antibodies that can fight viruses and bacteria that you may get from infections. By boiling chicken and serving it as a soup with broth, you can enhance the ability of the meat to enhance your body’s immune system. This is one of the reasons why chicken soup is often served to people with illnesses.
Benefits of Consuming Rice
Now that we have tackled the health benefits of chicken, let us now discuss the advantages of eating rice. Rice is regarded as one of the healthiest foods in the world, although its nutritional value depends on the type of rice that you need. Here is a list of benefits of consuming rice, especially when paired with different types of meat like chicken.
Provides Fiber
One of the best benefits of consuming rice is that you can get sufficient amounts of fiber on it. Fiber is a fascinating type of carbohydrate that is responsible for promoting normal bowel movement for the body. This nutrient is able to absorb or collect digestive wastes that are difficult for the intestines to flush out, so it is a great nutrient to consume if you have an upset stomach or are feeling stomach aches. Besides normalizing bowel movement, fiber is also great for lowering blood sugar levels and bad cholesterol levels.
Get Plenty of Carbohydrates
Rice is one of the best foods to get carbohydrates, as it would already give you plenty of the said nutrients in just one serving. Carbohydrates belong to the three macronutrients (carbohydrates, protein, and fat) that are essential for our bodies to consume every day. Without these macronutrients, our body would struggle to collect and use energy, and this struggle would lead to a weakened immune system and us being more susceptible to different kinds of diseases. As such, we would need to consume carbohydrates, protein, and fats regularly, and what better way to get those nutrients than by eating chicken and rice.
And, these are just some of the main benefits of eating chicken and rice. By eating them together, you can maximize the nutrients that you will get for just one meal. Check out the dozens of different chicken and rice recipes online to have an idea of how to combine and cook these two tasty and healthy ingredients.