Like all meats, lamb and chicken are rich in protein. While the two foods share this characteristic, other nutritional aspects of lamb and chicken differ. Lamb and chicken can both be components of a healthy diet, but you may find that one is better suited to your nutritional needs than the other. Note that cooking lamb or chicken in oil or other ingredients will alter the nutritional characteristics of the meat.
Interested in losing weight? Learn more about LIVESTRONG.COM's nutrition and fitness program!
Calories
If
you're trying to lose weight, choose chicken as the meat in your meal.
One hundred g of cooked chicken breast contains 165 calories, while 100 g
of lamb sirloin provides 204. While the chicken breast is lower in
calories, you would have to eat the lamb frequently for it to adversely
affect your weight loss. Switching from eating 100 g of lamb sirloin to
100 g of chicken breast daily would result in a reduction of 273
calories per week.
Protein
Both
lamb and chicken are rich in protein, a nutrient your body uses to
build and repair vital tissues and cells. Chicken is slightly higher in
protein -- a 100 g chicken breast provides 31 g of protein, while 100 g
of lamb sirloin contains 28 g. Consuming protein is vital for your
health, and the recommended daily allowance is .8 g of protein for each
kg of body weight. If you weigh 175 lbs., your target protein intake
would be 63 g.
Photo Credit Jupiterimages/Comstock/Getty Images
Like all meats, lamb
and chicken are rich in protein. While the two foods share this
characteristic, other nutritional aspects of lamb and chicken differ.
Lamb and chicken can both be components of a healthy diet, but you may
find that one is better suited to your nutritional needs than the other.
Note that cooking lamb or chicken in oil or other ingredients will
alter the nutritional characteristics of the meat.
Calories
If
you're trying to lose weight, choose chicken as the meat in your meal.
One hundred g of cooked chicken breast contains 165 calories, while 100 g
of lamb sirloin provides 204. While the chicken breast is lower in
calories, you would have to eat the lamb frequently for it to adversely
affect your weight loss. Switching from eating 100 g of lamb sirloin to
100 g of chicken breast daily would result in a reduction of 273
calories per week.
Protein
Both
lamb and chicken are rich in protein, a nutrient your body uses to
build and repair vital tissues and cells. Chicken is slightly higher in
protein -- a 100 g chicken breast provides 31 g of protein, while 100 g
of lamb sirloin contains 28 g. Consuming protein is vital for your
health, and the recommended daily allowance is .8 g of protein for each
kg of body weight. If you weigh 175 lbs., your target protein intake
would be 63 g.
Fat
The
difference in calories between lamb and chicken is largely from the
difference in fat content. Lamb is higher in fat, with 9 g in an 100 g
serving of sirloin, while 100 g of chicken breast contains just 3.6 g.
Lamb also contains 3 g of saturated fat, compared to just 1 g in chicken
breast. Too much saturated fat can increase your risk of cardiovascular
disease, so the USDA suggests limiting saturated fat to no more than 10
percent of your total calories.
Carbohydrates
Both
chicken and lamb can be suitable for reduced-carbohydrate diets, as
both foods are carbohydrate-free. Carbohydrates are your body's primary
energy source, but low-carbohydrate diets can help you lose weight if
you reduce your total calorie intake as well.
