Quorn is considered a healthy alternative to meat while chicken is known to be much healthier than other types of meat such as beef and lamb. But how do these two sources of protein compare? Which one is better in terms of nutritional value and which one is healthier? Should you eat quorn or chicken if you want to lose weight? What about if you want to gain muscles? You will find answers to all these questions in this quorn vs chicken comparison.
Quorn vs Chicken: Nutritional values
First of all, let’s take a look at how quorn and chicken compare when it comes to macronutrients. The table below summarises fat, protein, carbohydrates and calories in both protein sources. The values below are per 100g.
| Quorn (pieces) | Chicken (breast, roasted) | |
| Protein | 13.8g | 30.2 g |
| Fat | 2.6g | 0.9 g |
| Carbohydrates | 1.7 g | 0 g |
| Calories | 99 kcal | 129 kcal |
Now, you should know that the nutritional values of chicken vary depending on which part of chicken we are analysing but this also depends on the quality of meat (how chicken has been raised, what they’ve been eating, is it free-range chicken, etc.).
The exact nutritional profile varies when it comes to Quorn as well – that’s because Quorn comes in different forms such as mince and pieces.
For the purpose of this analysis, we decided to compare Quorn pieces which is the purest form of Quorn. We also took chicken breast for comparison as this is one of the most popular parts of the chicken.
How much protein is in Quorn compared to chicken?
Chicken has more than double the amount of protein as Quorn with Quorn having only 13.8 g of protein per 100 g and chicken 30.2 g per 100 g (chicken breast, roasted). This makes chicken a perfect food for those trying to build their muscles and Quorn not so good option.
Quorn vs Chicken – Fat
Quorn has 2.6 g of fat per 100 g while chicken only 0.9 g. This makes chicken a better option if you are following a low-fat diet.
Quorn vs Chicken – Carbs
Chicken breast is again the winner here as it has zero carbs while Quorn has 1.7 g per 100 g.
Quorn vs Chicken – Calories
Roasted chicken breast has slightly more calories than Quorn pieces – 129 kcal vs 99 kcal per 100 g in Quorn.
Quorn or Chicken: Which one is better for weight loss?
If you are trying to lose weight, both Quorn and chicken are good options since they are not high in calories.
However, if you are following a particular diet one may be better than the other.
For example, if you are trying to increase your protein intake and decrease your carbs, then the chicken breast is a perfect option since it is high in protein and has zero carbs.
But if you are counting calories and every calorie matters to you then Quorn is a better option as it has fewer calories.
Quorn vs Chicken: Which one is healthier?
Both Quorn and chicken are healthy sources of protein and relatively low in fat and calories. However, Quorn is a processed food while the chicken is a natural form of food, therefore, better than Quorn which causes digestive issues in some people.
References
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4462824/
https://www.quorn.co.uk/products/chicken-style-pieces