If white meat is a healthier choice than red meat, many consumers wonder, “Does that include chicken nuggets?” Are they really a better fast-food choice than burgers?
A portion of five or six chicken nuggets is comparable in many ways to a small hamburger. They are about equal in protein and cholesterol-raising fats (saturated plus trans fats), although the nuggets contain about 20 to 50 fewer calories. The amount of sodium in chicken nuggets varies widely. Some contain less than a fast-food hamburger loaded with condiments, while others are just as high.
If you use a dipping sauce with your nuggets, however, any sodium advantage disappears. With any sauce other than plain honey, they are equal.
If you compare five or six chicken nuggets to an equal portion of hamburger, such as a “single” or quarter-pound burger, the fat and protein issues change. Compared to the burger, the chicken nuggets supply about half the calories and not much more than half the cholesterol-raising fat. The chicken nuggets are lower in protein than the burger, because so much of their weight is not chicken, but breading.
One reason for choosing the chicken nuggets over a burger is to limit red meat. Regardless of fat or sodium content, experts recommend limiting red meat to a total of no more than three ounces per day to reduce risk of colon cancer, and perhaps some other cancers as well.
However, chicken nuggets are nutritionally different from plain baked or stir-fried chicken.
Chicken nuggets can include not just the chicken meat itself but also the skin, with several types of flour, starches and oils. That makes nuggets higher in calories and about half the protein compared to an equal portion of plain cooked skinless chicken. The biggest differences are in sodium and in saturated plus trans fat, which are 50 percent higher in nuggets than in plain chicken thighs, and more than four times higher than in plain breast.
A better nugget
If you’re eating out, a healthier option is a grilled chicken sandwich. Saturated plus trans fat will be about half that of chicken nuggets. Because of the bun, calories and sodium are no lower. However, a grilled chicken sandwich without added sauce is not much higher in sodium than nuggets plus an order of fries.
Don’t assume that baking frozen chicken nuggets at home makes them healthy choices.
Much of the fat and sodium are in the meat mixture and the coating, and are not due to deep-frying. Cookbooks and Internet websites, however, offer ways to make more healthful chicken “nuggets” by baking plain chunks of chicken coated with seasoned corn flake crumbs. Calorie content may be about the same as commercial chicken nuggets, but this version contains more protein, less total fat and cholesterol-raising fat, and less sodium if you don’t include salt in the coating.
Another alternative is the soy-based nuggets meant to look and taste like chicken nuggets. Here the calories and fat are lower than in commercial chicken nuggets, but the protein and sodium are about the same.
The complete answer about chicken nuggets can’t be found simply by comparing them with these various alternatives.
The nutritional impact depends on how the overall meal is put together. If chicken nuggets are served along with fries and a soda, or packaged macaroni and cheese, all the concerns about chicken nuggets’ content of calories, unhealthy fat and sodium are magnified.
On the other hand, the overall nutrition picture is not nearly so bad if a small portion of those chicken nuggets is accompanied, for example, by a salad, oven-roasted vegetables, fresh fruit, a baked potato, or a whole-grain roll.
Nutrition Notes is provided by the in Washington, D.C.© 2006 MSNBC Interactive
FAQs
What is the largest number for which it is impossible to purchase exactly that number of McNuggets? The answer is 43. Solution For any desired number if it is divisible by 3 it can easily be made with 6 and 9 packs, except if the number is 3 itself.
What is the McNugget theorem? ›
The Chicken McNugget theorem, also known as the Frobenius coin problem , states that for any two relatively prime integers m and n, the largest integer that cannot be expressed in the form am + bn for non-negative integers a and b is mn − m − n.
What is the McNuggets question? ›
Originally, McDonald's sold its nuggets in packs of 9 and 20. Math enthusiasts were curious to find the largest number of nuggets that could not have been bought with these packs, thus creating the Chicken McNugget Theorem (the answer worked out to be 151 nuggets).
How to tell if chicken nuggets have gone bad? ›
As with a raw piece of chicken, cooked chicken that is or has gone bad will begin to change color. As it spoils, chicken that has gone bad will begin to look grey or even green-grey. If your cooked chicken has changed color, it is time to throw it out.
What is the chicken math saying? ›
Chicken math is the curious and incomprehensible process by which a flock of 5 backyard chickens grows to become 35 in three years. Chicken math stretches the meaning of "A few" to it's very limits. This is a just a few chicks, honey. Chicken math can also be applied to chicken coops and incubators.
What is the 43 Chicken McNugget theorem? ›
What is the largest number of McNuggets that you can't buy with packs of 6, 9 and 20? After putting in their blood, sweat, and tears, the mathematicians found that the answer is 43. You cannot buy 43 nuggets with packs of 6, 9 and 20, but you can buy any amount larger than 43.
What is the chicken nugget rule? ›
These kinds of issues can be resolved by Chicken McNugget Theorems. The largest number that cannot be represented in the form a⋅m+b⋅n for nonnegative integers a and b is (m−1)⋅(n−1)−1 if m and n are two relatively prime positive integers.
What is the largest number of chicken McNuggets you can't buy? ›
Through small group and whole class discussion, the teacher should guide the class to understand that 43 is the largest number of McNuggets that cannot be purchased.
What is the McNugget number? ›
A McNugget number is the total number of McDonald's Chicken McNuggets in any number of boxes. In the United Kingdom, the original boxes (prior to the introduction of the Happy Meal–sized nugget boxes) were of 6, 9, and 20 nuggets.
Does McDonald's fry their McNuggets? ›
Once everything is mixed, we create the four famous Chicken McNuggets® shapes—bell, boot, ball and bone. They're coated in a light tempura batter, partially fried and quickly frozen to preserve flavor. Once in our restaurants, they're fully fried and served hot to you with a delicious taste that is full of flavor.
It was conceived by Keystone Foods founder Herb Lotman in the late 1970s. McDonald's first executive chef, René Arend, a native of Luxembourg, created the Chicken McNuggets recipe in 1979. "The McNuggets were so well-received that every franchise wanted them", said Arend in a 2009 interview.
Do Chick Fil A chicken nuggets go bad? ›
For best quality and to keep food safe: Transport and store chicken at 40°F or lower. Always use utensils or gloves when handling or serving cooked products. Reheat Chick-fiI-A Nuggets or Chick-fiI-A Chick-n-Strips within 24 hours of purchase.
Can I eat expired frozen nuggets? ›
Eating frozen food past the expiration date can be safe, but the food may no longer have the best flavor or texture. Keeping frozen food at or below 0℉ will help maintain the quality and safety of that food for the longest amount of time.
Are chicken nuggets that bad? ›
Besides offering little nutritional value, there contain an overwhelmingly high amount of preservatives. If chicken nuggets are a favorite in your house, opt to make your own – baked, fried or even broiled – at least you'll have full control over the ingredients you're serving.
What is the answer to the McDonalds math puzzle? ›
However, for those who were left scratching their heads, we've got you covered. The drink has a worth of 10, the burger is worth 5, and the fries are worth 1. So, by applying the BODMAS rule, the answer is 15.
What is the impossible McNugget order? ›
One day you go to McDonalds and try to order 13 McNuggets. You are told that is impossible. One can only order 6, 9, or 20 nuggets. You could get 12 (because that's 6+6) or 15 (because that's 6+9), but not 13.
What is the chicken math method? ›
Chicken math is, for lack of a better description, a way to calculate the total and utter loss of self-control when it comes to your chicken flock. It starts innocently enough, with a desire for 2-3 hens in the backyard to help provide delicious eggs for your family.
What is 43 nuggets at McDonalds? ›
McNugget numbers
Consequently, the greatest number of McNuggets which cannot be purchased exactly is 43, the Frobenius number of the set {6,9,20}. This means that all natural numbers greater than 43 can be expressed, in some way, as the sum of some multiple of each of 6, 9, and 20.
