Eating chicken feet might sound unusual and unappealing to some but those who know about the chicken feet health benefits do not dismiss this as a mere waste product. In many cultures, chicken feet find a special place in various cuisines.
Even if you do not consider chicken feet pleasing, you cannot ignore the nutritional benefits that these chicken legs bring to our diets. Though the meat content of chicken feet is not that much, they do contain various connective tissues like cartilage, tendons, and bones.
Mostly in chicken feet, there is an abundance of the protein called collagen. Other than this, they consist of minerals like calcium, phosphorus, calories, carbs, Vitamin A, and folate.
In this article, we will discuss more about the chicken feet health benefits and the precautions that are to be considered before consuming them.
Chicken feet health benefits
Here are the chicken feet benefits you need to know:
Healthier and better looking skin
As discussed above, chicken legs have an immense amount of collagen in them. The benefits of collagen are quite significant for our body. It is responsible for maintaining the elasticity of the skin so as soon as the levels of it decline, we observe sagging, wrinkles, and dryness in the skin.
Other than this, there are collagen supplements available in the market but since these are quite expensive, chicken legs are a good alternative.
Better bone health
Our bones play an important role in our day-to-day activities. Again, due to the presence of collagen in chicken feet, they tend to improve our bone health. There has been research about this and it has been seen that chicken feet indeed improve bone formation and density in post menopausal women.
With our age, our body tends to reabsorb calcium and phosphate from our bones, making them weaker. To avoid this, nutritious food is required and without any doubt, chicken legs are the solution for this.
Moreover, the presence of collagen also facilitates the absorption of calcium in the body. Thus, chicken feet are essential for bone health.
Improve your immunity system
Chicken feet are also known for boosting your immunity system. Chicken feet are high in collagen, minerals like calcium, phosphorus, zinc, and calcium. These minerals are important for the body to fight attacks from various diseases. Thus, regular consumption can improve your immune system.
Relief from joint pain
Mostly, joint pain is related to a lack of collagen. The presence of collagen in chicken legs stimulates tissue regeneration so this helps in providing strength to the joint. Thus, the consumption of chicken legs can help with osteoarthritis.
Many athletes exploit the advantage of collagen in chicken legs in order to recover faster, considering collagen boosts tissue generation, contributing to faster recovery.
Better blood circulation
Certain amino acids are present in collagen in the chicken feet. They help in the production of nitric oxide which is responsible for the relaxation of the smooth muscle cells that are present all over the body. Now, as the blood passes through nitric oxide, it causes a blood pressure drop, facilitating the blood circulation in the body.
Further, as mentioned above, collagen improves elasticity in the body. This also applies to blood vessels. They make blood vessels better and improve their elasticity.
Chicken feet health benefits are real but before getting into it, one must consider the side effects that it may bring. If you are consuming chicken legs, then it is advisable to consume them without deep frying as that puts trans fat in your diet. They can play with your cholesterol levels and cause health problems.
Moreover, precautions should be taken before buying them. Make sure you buy a fresh piece otherwise it may pose a risk to your health.