Is Chicken Sausage Healthy?
When we think about chicken and poultry products, we consider them healthy or at least less harmful than the same pork or bacon. Yet, do you know that not all poultry products are similarly healthy?
The most obvious example of such a meal is succulent and yummy chicken sausage. Despite its unbeatable tastes and flavors, you should be aware that it’s not the #1 choice for you. Why so? Let’s consider this in detail.
Chicken Sausage: What Is It Made Of?
Sausages are always on the top. They are appreciated even by the nastiest children, and adults gladly choose them for their daily meals due to their ease of cooking and affordability. Yet, let’s start with what chicken sausage is made of.
The idea to put some meat pieces in the intestines and cook them is not new.
Yet, previously, sausages were considered to be low-class meals because they were made of waste which butchers couldn’t sell. Of course, such a waste-free approach to butchery is good, but what are the results? Most of the ancient sausages were fats, trimmings, often offal and other parts of meat of the same type. Although various types of sausages are now even considered to be luxurious, in common, they are still made of wastes from food production.
In the case of chicken sausage, its basic recipe consists of:
- Chicken meat;
- Chicken fat;
- Vegetable or animal fats;
- Salt;
- Spices and herbs;
- Preserving agents and stabilizers.
And here the devil is in details. Can you 100% know that your chosen ready-made chicken sausage was made of high-quality products and contains only healthy chicken parts? Of course, you cannot. Besides, when talking about mass food production, each manufacturer strives to reduce costs and make their products profitable. Thus, you shouldn’t wait for your chicken sausage to be made for sure of high-quality organic chicken breasts or legs.
One more thing to consider about sausages, they are too fatty. Fat is a must for the sausage recipe, as it makes minced meat pieces softer and better preserves them.
Summarizing this part. You cannot claim chicken sausages to be a HLS choice. Moreover, you cannot guarantee that the manufacturer maintains strict principles in feedstock choice. The thing to ease this pain is that chicken sausage is no doubt healthier than pork sausage.
Calories and Ingredients in Chicken Sausages: Which Pros and Cons to Consider
Yet, is there any good thing in chicken sausages? Yes, even a couple of them.
- It is cooked easily. Depending on the type, chicken sausages can be made using raw salted meat in a cover which can be grilled, fried, or sautéed. They can also be smoked or dried, and then you can eat them as-is. The healthiest ones are raw and dried chicken sausages as they do not include extra additives, and they are not processed with smoke.
- Chicken sausages contain on average 172 calories per 100 g. Yet, it depends on the recipe and the balance of meat and fats. Proteins are not dominating in the recipe as usual.
- Dried chicken sausages are a good source of proteins which you can use as a snack. But they are digested difficulty, thus, it is better not to make them your main course. Besides, when drying, nitrites and salt are used, and these components are not healthy.
So, you can eat chicken sausages sometimes, yet, it is better to avoid smoked sausages and use grilled salted ones. Dried sausages are also good when you consume them moderately and as an additional protein snack.
Finding Alternatives: How to Eat Chicken in the Healthiest Way
You shouldn’t feel upset by the information we provided you with! Chicken sausages are not the one and only tasty dish made of poultry products. Moreover, lots of HLS chicken recipes require zero culinary skills and less time to be cooked. We offer you several alternatives to not-so-good chicken sausage you can use to get healthy and balanced meals daily.
- General Tso’s chicken is one of the most diverse in its ingredients. It is rich in flavors, as it belongs to modified Southeastern Asian cuisine. And it is quite healthy.
- Southwest Chicken is a true American dish which you should try at least once. Its combo of chicken breasts or legs with corn, squash, rich Tex Mex spices and beans provides you with extra proteins and suits even the keto diet.
- Sophisticated Tuscan creamy chicken is also a must-try. It takes only an hour to make it cooked, and its tender sauce made of heavy cream and spinach with tomatoes, herbs, and garlic is a nutritious yet low-calorie meal.
We have provided you with the recipes for these chicken meals in our blog articles previously, and you can try your hand at cooking them. Besides, you can apply for 95 Nutrition services in our company to get the freshest and the most HLS-dedicated chicken meals on your table.
What If I Want to Get Chicken Sausage on My Menu?
In case you cannot live without odious chicken sausage, take a couple of our tips to make it as healthy as possible.
- Cook it yourself. Select the best parts of red and white chicken meat and use special starch additives to make the consistency tougher.
- Add more herbs and spices to make your sausage good for digestion.
- Cook it grilled or boiled, or at least sautéed. Do not fry sausages, so as not to make them absorb even more fat than they have.
- Serve chicken sausage with green salad or boiled veggies. Do not combine it with potatoes, bread, or cereals as it makes the meal too heavy and rich with carbs. Better use wraps instead of hot dog buns, and avoid corn dogs which are roasted in a deep-fry pan.
As a result, it is better to reduce chicken sausage consumption if you want to eat healthy. Substitute it with other chicken meals, or at least cook sausages yourself to guarantee they are harm-free and made of high-quality meat.