Are you familiar with the chicken and broccoli diet?
Being obese or overweight is a common complaint of both men and women. Gaining weight is easier than losing weight. This is the reason why overweight people are looking for the best way to lose some unwanted kilos.
The creator of this diet plan claims that you can lose extra weight even without exercise. The main ingredients of this diet plan are of course chicken and broccoli.
Do you think it is effective in shedding weight?
What is the Chicken and Broccoli Diet?
As mentioned above, the major ingredients of this diet plan are chicken and broccoli. Chicken is rich in protein, while broccoli is a kind of vegetable that is loaded with essential vitamins and minerals as well as dietary fibers.
As the name of the diet plan implies, it does not include carbohydrates. This can be the secret to why it is being used to lose weight (1). During the initial stage, weight loss is noticeable as the result of water loss. However, as you progress with the diet plan, you will see amazing results. The fat stored beneath your skin is burnt and converted into energy.
Eating chicken and broccoli alone isn’t healthy at all especially when it is being practiced for a long time. It can cause adverse effects on your body such as feeling too tired and lethargic. This is due to the absence of carbohydrates.
Many people who have been following this diet plan failed as they can’t tolerate eating just the two food items for all your meals.
Variations in the preparation of the chicken and broccoli can make this diet palatable. For chicken, you can prepare it in many ways such as boiled, fried, roasted, and including it in a soup. This is also applicable when preparing broccoli.
Boiling is not a good idea to prepare broccoli because the nutrients are reduced. Instead, you can prepare broccoli through stir-frying, microwaving, or steaming.
Chicken and Broccoli Diet Plan
The chicken and broccoli diet plan should be implemented only within 10 days. A single menu should be used for two days. That’s why in 10 days, you’ll need to follow 5 different menus for three mealtimes. You can drink water, tea, or unsweetened coffee.
Day 1 and 2
Breakfast
- 50 g whole wheat bread
- 200 g cooked broccoli
- A cup of unsweetened black tea
Lunch
- 150 g cooked chicken
- 100 g cooked broccoli
- 250 ml of chicken soup
Dinner
- 250 g cooked broccoli and salt to taste
- A cup of unsweetened black tea
Day 3 and 4
Breakfast
- 200 g of broccoli simmered in olive oil with garlic and bell pepper
Lunch
- 150 g of broccoli with 50 g of tuna simmered in olive oil, add 2 medium tomatoes and 1 medium onion
Dinner
- Same as breakfast
Day 5 and 6
Breakfast
- Salad made of 2 tbsp low fat soured milk and 100 g cooked broccoli
- 100 g cooked lean beef
Lunch
- 1 slice whole-wheat bread
- 200 g broccoli boiled in salted water
Dinner
- 1 cup low fat soured milk
- 150 g cooked lean beef
Days 7 and 8
Breakfast
- 1 cup unsweetened black tea
- 2 boiled eggs
- 100 g cooked broccoli
Lunch
- 100 g cooked broccoli
- 150g cooked chicken
- 250 ml chicken soup, slightly salted
Dinner
- 1 cup unsweetened black tea
- 250 g cooked broccoli
Days 9 and 10
Breakfast
- 2 boiled carrots
- 100 g cooked broccoli, salted
Lunch
- 1 slice whole-wheat bread
- 100 g cooked fish
- 100 g cooked broccoli, salted
Dinner
- 1 potato, cooked
- 200 g broccoli, cooked with a pinch of salt
This diet plan for many may not be delicious, but it gives better results. All you have to do is to be disciplined and follow the plan diligently. The broccoli won’t only help you lose weight but also detox your body.
Benefits of Chicken and broccoli diet
The biggest benefit of this diet plan is that it is a perfect detox plan. It is recommended for smokers as it can clean up the nicotine and other toxins that build up in the body.
Chicken and broccoli are good sources of vitamins A, B, E1, B2, C, PP as well as magnesium, iron, folic acid, sodium and a considerable amount of fiber.
Pregnant women should also consume broccoli because it is the best source of folic acid that is essential during pregnancy.
Disadvantages of a Chicken and broccoli diet
If you’ll follow the chicken and broccoli diet, you should be aware that broccoli is rich in fiber. You should expect that you may experience gases, diarrhea, and nausea.
It can also prevent the absorption of certain minerals such as zinc and iron.
Verdict
If you will eat chicken and broccoli to achieve your goals of losing weight, make sure to follow the diet plan and the required servings. Likewise, you should use a cooking technique that does not require oil.
As much as possible, you should choose skinless roasted chicken breast as it contains fewer calories. Likewise, raw broccoli also contains fewer calories.
Both broccoli and chicken are nutritious and beneficial to weight loss. The chicken is rich in lean protein that makes you feel satiated and full, thus preventing hunger pangs. In a study held by the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, skinless chicken prevents gaining weight.
You should also avoid using sauces on chicken and broccoli as they can add calories. Instead, you can enhance the taste by adding fresh herbs and cracked pepper.
Dietitian with around 5 years of experience in assessing the nutritional needs of patients, counselling individuals, communicating the appropriate nutritional information to other members of the health care team and implementing nutritional care plans by following all the standards.
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