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May 4, 2010 -- Chicken nuggets may be a hit with kids and some adults, but for the most part, their nutritional value is minimal, says a new investigation by Consumer Reports Health.
What’s more, many brands make claims that are misleading, using terms like “whole grain,” “all natural,” or “organic” -- which make some people think of the little chicken bites as healthy dinner choices, Consumer Reports Health says.
But whether store-bought or purchased from McDonald’s or other fast food establishments, chicken nuggets pack a wallop of fat and sodium, the publication says in a news release.
Trained investigators sampled 12 brands of chicken nuggets and two made of soy. Thirty-one boys and girls aged 6 to 17 assisted with the taste testing.
Among the major findings:
Consumer Reports Health says Market Pantry and Kirkland Signature earned its best buy designation at 53 cents and 48 cents per serving, respectively. But the report adds that although “the Kirkland brand is cheap, you have to buy a 5-pound bag.” Nuggets by Bell & Evans were much more expensive, at $2.18 per serving, Consumer Reports Health says.
The Boca nuggets had 500 milligrams and the Morningstar brand 600 milligrams of sodium. Those brands, though, do have a minor nutritional advantage because they contain more fiber — 3 or 4?grams compared with 0-2 grams for most others. Even two soy-based nuggets, Boca Original Meatless Chik’n and Morningstar Farms Chik’n, contain “a heaping” of sodium, Consumer Reports Health says.
Just one of the 14 brands tested, Health is Wealth, scored a “very good” rating for nutrition, but it didn’t pass muster with the taste testers.
“There’s the rub,” Gayle Williams, deputy editor of Consumer Reports Health, says in a news release. “The brand may be more nutritious than others, but if your kids won’t eat it, what good is it?”
Williams tells WebMD that Consumer Reports Health isn’t recommending that parents stop eating nuggets or feeding them to their kids because that wouldn’t be realistic.