Do Chicken Feet Have any Nutritional Value?

Did You Know?

Adding chicken feet to soups is an easy way to reap their nutritional benefits.

When buying fresh chicken for meals, shopping for chicken feet is the last thing on our mind. We often prefer the chicken breast or the tenderloin as these parts have plenty of meat. Chicken feet are the least popular as there are no muscles; just the bones and the skin. No wonder, they are often ignored when making chicken dishes. Although the use of chicken feet for cooking purposes is very limited, the fact is that they provide a wealth of nutrition. The following Buzzle article elaborates more on the nutritional value of chicken feet.

Chicken Feet Nutrition

Nutrients	Boiled Chicken Feet (100g)	%DV
Vitamin A	100 IU	2%
Vitamin E	0.3 mg	1%
Thiamin	0.1 mg	4%
Niacin	0.4 mg	2%
Riboflavin	0.2 mg	12%
Folate	86 mcg	21%
Vitamin B12	0.5 mcg	8%
Phosphorus	83 mg	8%
Selenium	3.6 mcg	5%
Calcium	88 mg	9%
Iron	0.9 mg	5%
Potassium	31 mg	1%
Copper	0.1 mg	5%

Source: USDA

High in Collagen

Chicken feet are an excellent source of collagen, the fibrous structural protein that accounts for firmness and elasticity of the skin. Collagen is an important component of the skin, that provides support to the epidermis, the topmost layer of the skin. It holds the epidermis and prevents it from falling onto the muscles and bones. Adding collagen-boosting foods such as chicken feet in the diet can certainly give increased firmness to the skin, making it look more youthful and beautiful. The collagen in chicken can certainly contribute to diminish and even prevent the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines.

Good Source of Cartilage

Chicken feet are also high in calcium, proteins, and cartilage that can equally contribute in building joint cartilage. It is observed that collagen supplements are prescribed to alleviate joint pain related to arthritis. This is because, collagen is a major component of the cartilage, the soft white tissue attached at the ends of the bones to form joints. As arthritis involves age-related wear and tear of joint cartilage, getting collagen through supplements can help in regenerating joint cartilage. However, a better option would be to have collagen through natural sources such as chicken feet. So, simply adding chicken feet to your diet can provide the much-needed nutrients to keep your joints healthy as well as to improve joint mobility.

Proteins

Chicken feet are packed with muscle-building proteins, with 100 g containing 19.4 g of protein, which is a whopping 39% of the daily recommended intake. So, complementing your exercise routine with a diet that includes chicken feet can certainly help you gain muscles.

Riboflavin (Vitamin B2)

Chicken feet deliver around 0.2 mg of riboflavin (12% of daily dietary intake), per 100 g serving. Apart from boosting the immune system, vitamin B2 is important for formation of healthy red blood cells and metabolism of fats, carbohydrates, and proteins into energy.

Folate (Vitamin B9)

Folate that is crucial to turn carbohydrates into glucose (which is used for energy production) is also present in chicken feet in substantial amounts. Just have a serving of 100 g and you get an astounding 86 mcg of folate, which is 21% of the daily value.

Vitamin B12

Increase your intake of vitamin B12 (deficiency of which causes anemia and fatigue) by adding boiled chicken feet in your diet, as every 100 g serving gives 8% of the daily dietary intake, which is around 0.5 mcg.

Phosphorus

Phosphorus is also present in high concentrations in boiled chicken feet. A 100 g serving contains as much as 83.0 mg of phosphorus, which is 8% of the daily recommended intake.

Selenium

Selenium, a trace mineral that displays antioxidant properties is also found in chicken feet. Just add 100 g of boiled chicken feet in your meals and you get around 3.6 mcg of selenium (5% of daily value) from the serving.

Calcium

Chicken feet are particularly high in calcium, the bone-friendly mineral. A 100 g serving contains 88 mg of calcium, which is 9% of daily value. So, eating the boiled meat of chicken feet can certainly help to promote healthy strong bones.

Iron

When you eat 100 g of boiled chicken feet, the serving provides 0.9 mg of iron, which is 5% of daily value. The dietary mineral iron is necessary for building healthy red blood cells. Moreover, the presence of adequate iron is responsible for the oxygen-carrying capacity of RBCs.

Research

A research conducted several decades ago by veterinarian Dr. Harry Robertson observed that ground chicken feet could be an effective tool for nerve-regeneration therapy. The powdered preparation of chicken feet did show the potential of regeneration that included not just the bones or muscles but even the nerves. The regenerative property of this powdered poultry product may help facilitate the recovery of spinal cord injury (SCI). Dr Harry Robertson had also claimed that powdered extract of chicken feet may help treat burns, acne, gangrene, stomach ulcers and gun shot wounds. However, the FDA wasn’t satisfied with the hygienic status and testing methods used in the research. Extensive studies are needed before selling any food supplement for various ailments. This was not carried out in the research; hence was subsequently discontinued.

Before cooking chicken feet, make sure that the talons (claws) are hacked with a sharp knife. Sanitizing food to be cooked is also important to keep disease-causing organisms at bay. You also need to properly rinse the feet in running water and then put them in boiling water for a brief period (1 minute). This is followed by dipping them in icy water. After that you need to peel the yellow membrane from the feet. On the whole, declawing and peeling the chicken feet is necessary before you begin cooking them.

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