It’s widely understood that there’s nothing less healthy than fast food. Made to sell quickly in high volumes and for no other purpose, these fried and fattening meals can harm your health when eaten in excess (something quite easy to do given the large portion sizes). KFC is no exception.
Almost all items on a KFC menu have been linked to health risks, whether through connections to heart disease, diabetes, or other conditions, via their high levels of saturated fat, sodium, sugar, and carbohydrates. Consumers should be aware of these health concerns when they are choosing a quick bite to eat.
IS KFC CHICKEN HEALTHY?
Overall, most health experts and dietitians would not recommend KFC products as part of a healthy diet. Fried chicken, KFC’s signature product, is high in calories, fat, and salt, and has been linked to many health risks, including weight gain andl diabetes.
WHY IS KFC CHICKEN NOT CONSIDERED HEALTHY?
KFC CHICKEN IS HIGH IN CALORIES, FAT, AND SODIUM
KFC products, when eaten in meals, can calorifically reach into the quadruple digits. High calorific intake is not bad in and of itself, but these products have little nutritional value beyond the obvious protein, carbs, and fats. They also tend to be high in sodium. For example, a single Zinger Stacker Burger has 755 calories and 4.49g of salt. That’s three-quarters of all the sodium that the NHS recommends you consume in an entire day. Factor in some side dishes and sauces, and it’s easy to see how you could exceed your recommended intake in just a few bites at KFC.
THE SATURATED FATS IN KFC CHICKEN MAY CONTRIBUTE TO HIGH CHOLESTEROL LEVELS AND HEART DISEASE
Meat products and fried foods like those sold by KFC can contain trans and saturated fats that have been linked to poor health outcomes. KFC menu items haven’t contained trans fats since 2006, but they do contain plenty of saturated fats.
The NHS advises that saturated fat can raise “bad” LDL cholesterol levels and even increase the likelihood of heart disease and stroke. The NHS guidelines state that women should not eat more than 20g of saturated fat a day, while men should not have more than 30g. Most items at KFC, especially the burgers and original chicken, contain plenty of saturated fat. Each single hot wing (each piece, not an entire serving) contains almost a gram of saturated fat, while a Zinger burger contains 2g and a Fillet Tower burger nearly 5g. Most health guides suggest that overconsuming this food can raise your risk of high cholesterol, which can be very harmful to your health, increasing your chances of suffering a stroke or a heart attack.
CONSUMING FRIED CHICKEN REGULARLY MAY INCREASE RISK OF HEART DISEASE AND DIABETES
A 2015 report on risk factors for diabetes found that “regular consumption of refined grains, red and processed meats, and sugar-sweetened beverages including fruit juices is associated with increased risk” of diabetes. Many of these products are plastered all over any KFC menu: fried chicken, sodas, and refined grains like hamburger buns and french fries. Eating these foods too often, among other lifestyle and genetic factors, can increase your likelihood of developing type 2 diabetes.
KFC CHICKEN IS OFTEN SERVED IN LARGE PORTIONS AND WITH HIGH-CALORIE SIDES
A small amount of chicken could theoretically be eaten in a well-rounded healthy diet, but KFC portions are far too large to support any healthy portion choices. Many meal options add together many different pieces of chicken, and KFC prides itself on its massive “buckets” — some of which are advertised as being for a single serving. For example, the Trilogy Box Meal combines a burger, chicken strips, popcorn chicken, fries, a dip, another side of your choice, and soda, all for one person!
The side dishes are nothing to scoff at either. Large fries have 380 calories, a large coleslaw has 300, and a white chocolate cookie has 335. Adding drinks and sides can easily cause the calories to grow beyond any recommended limit in a single meal.
FRIED CHICKEN IS LINKED TO OVERALL MORTALITY
One longitudinal study of over 100,000 American women found a link between consumption of fried chicken and overall death. Women who ate at least one serving of fried chicken per week were 13 percent more likely to die in a 20-year period from all causes. Of course, this data is observational, but this isn’t the best news for someone who enjoys their fast food.
WHAT IS THE LEAST HEALTHY FOOD AT KFC?
1. ZINGER STACKER
With 755 calories, 4.49g of salt, 13g of sugar, and a whopping 7.8g of saturated fat, this behemoth burger is not going to do wonders for your arteries, your heart, or your waistline.
2. MEGA BOX
This box has two hot wings, one original recipe, and a chicken breast Mini Fillet. Toss in the included fries and a drink and you’re looking at over 1,000 calories and very few nutrients.
3. MIGHTY BUCKET FOR ONE
This meal comes with two pieces of original chicken, two Mini Fillets, two hot wings, fries, and a drink. It also comes with over 10g of saturated fat
WHAT IS THE HEALTHIEST THING TO EAT AT KFC?
Some of the healthiest options include the side of corn, mashed potatoes (without gravy), and green beans (at some locations). In the UK, you can find vegan options that won’t increase your risk of high cholesterol or heart disease to the same degree as meat. However, the majority of KFC’s options are not good for the human body, so a health-conscious eater will likely struggle to find something nutritious.
WHAT IS WRONG WITH KFC CHICKEN?
Before the chickens become a product at this multinational chain, they are, well, chickens. And they are treated badly. Up to a third of chickens in the factory farms that supply KFC are ill because of poor conditions, suffering from broken limbs, inflammation, heart disease, liver disease, and more.
In our own bombshell investigation, VFC went undercover to a farm that sources chickens for KFC. We found 52,000 chickens in one building, crammed together, some unable to stand up, and some who had already died. Watch our video to see the reality behind KFC.
Despite all of this evidence, KFC frequently misleads the public by claiming it has high standards for its birds, even saying they “lead the way in our sector on improving chicken welfare.” Given the evidence of their chicken factories, these statements can only be interpreted as humanewashing.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
CAN I EAT KFC CHICKEN ON A DIET?
While not all diets are exactly the same, the majority of diets intended for weight loss or to increase overall health would caution against eating products from KFC due to their high calorific value and other problems. When consumed in moderation, they could be part of a balanced diet, but watch those combo meals and side dishes.
IS KFC CHICKEN GOOD PROTEIN?
Protein is protein. Whether or not a protein is “good” depends on what else the protein comes with.
KFC chicken is undoubtedly a good source of protein, but that’s not the problem health advisors are concerned about. The protein at KFC comes with saturated fats, low fibre, few nutrients, and lots of calories. A well-rounded protein bowl with vegetables, healthy whole grains, and lower levels of oil is a much better source of protein overall.
ARE KFC CHICKENS GENETICALLY MODIFIED?
Chickens made into KFC products are not genetically modified in the sense that their DNA has been rearranged in a laboratory by scientists. That is a viral fake news story and shouldn’t be believed. However, like all modern chickens intensively farmed for meat, KFC chickens have been genetically manipulated through selective breeding, with consequences that are damaging for the birds.
In 1946, a contest was held in the United States to breed bigger and more efficient birds, dubbed the “Chicken of Tomorrow”; farming has never been the same since. Since then, as chicken became a more common food worldwide, farmers have continued selectively breeding chickens to grow faster and fatte. The average chicken in the 1950s weighed 1.4kg at slaughter. This century, they weigh well over twice that and take less time to reach it.
This selective breeding is extremely harmful to chicken welfare. Chickens nowadays often suffer from broken bones, heart disease, and low immune systems. Their bodies have been designed and optimised for human productivity, not for their own benefit, leading to many of the welfare problems that plague KFC factories today.
ARE THERE ANY EASY SWAPS I CAN MAKE INSTEAD OF EATING KFC
Yes! VFC, Vegan Fried Chick*n is a healthier, more ethical, and more sustainable choice — check out our selection of products here.
