Is Chicken Broth Good for Weight Loss?

Food purists and chefs know that there is a difference between chicken stock and chicken broth. Stock is made from the bony parts of the chicken while the broth is made more from the meat and skin. Stock has more gelatin, which gives it a smoother feel in the mouth, and is used for cooking more often than broth. Broth is more of a ready-to-eat product. It is normally higher in nutrients than stock, but both are influenced by what additions you put into them while making them. Both are used in recipes.

Is Chicken Broth Low-Cal?

Chicken broth is an ideal help for someone who wants to lose weight. However, with no national standards as to what chicken broth really is, there is no standard on how healthy your broth may be. A cup of broth usually is around 18 calories, but if you use chicken skin and fat to make it, that count can go much higher. Some broth is meatier than others, which also affects the calorie and protein count. Commercial broth often has excessive sodium, which can be avoided by buying a low-salt version or making your own.

How Nutritious is Chicken Broth?

A single cup of basic broth contains 2 to 3 percent of vitamin C, A, iron, and calcium you need. Broth created by simmering vegetables such as garlic cloves, onions, carrots, and celery along with the chicken will have a higher vitamin count. Herbs such as cilantro help add nutrients to the final broth. Phosphorus and potassium are also present in significant amounts. Adding bones to the broth while simmering adds more minerals to the finished product. Carbohydrates are nearly non-existent.

How is It Used?

A cup or two of hot chicken broth between meals can take the edge off hunger without causing a major bump in the diet. It is much healthier than drinking a soda or other carbonated drink. While it doesn't make a meal in itself, chicken broth quickly becomes the base for a wide variety of low-cal soups and other meals. A diced carrot, celery, and potato added to broth make a complete meal in just 30 minutes. Make it Asian, Mexican, or Italian depending upon the spices you choose from the rack.

Can You Cook Rice with It?

Chicken broth also adds nutrition and flavor to boiled rice. Substitute it for an equal amount of water when making your rice. Add a diced onion and bell pepper, and a drained can of diced tomatoes to the cooking rice and you have a perfect Spanish rice to complement your main dish. Or swap out a package of Ramen noodles for the rice. Both the noodles and the rice are high in carbs, but if you use only one-fourth of the Ramen seasoning package, it stays within the bounds of nutritious, quick food.

Does It Keep Well?

Homemade chicken broth keeps well in the refrigerator for about two weeks. If you want to stretch it out further, you can freeze it in small containers and have some on hand when you need it. It begins to lose its flavor after six months in the refrigerator freezer and about 12 months in a deep freezer. Straining all the fat out before freezing helps it taste better. A couple of ice-cube sized drops of broth will add measurable taste to meals made both from scratch and from store-bought packages.

There is no need to go out and buy a whole chicken to make your own broth. Save bits and pieces of chicken in a freezer container when you are preparing other meals. Add any leftover parts such as the wing tips and leg bones from roasted or rotisserie chicken from the store. Toss in bits and pieces of onion, carrots, and celery that you would normally throw away. When you have enough to fill a large pot, simmer it all together to make chicken broth your way: nutritious and healthy.

EDITOR'S TIP:

After your chicken broth is drained from the pot, you can start it all over again. Fill the pot with water the same as the first time and re-cook the chicken parts. The re-done broth will remain rich and tasty and give you twice as much broth as you expected.