But you may not realize that eating the same food every day, including chicken, does not bring only benefits to your body. Humans are made for variety. In traditional folk medicine, wisdom was passed down from generation to generation: what is on your plate every day soon becomes a burden to the body. And today, science surprisingly confirms this old, almost forgotten truth.
Why does chicken seem like a healthy choice? And why is that not the whole truth ...
Chicken belongs to foods that have a lot of protein and little fat. An average 100-gram portion contains about 31 grams of protein and less than 4 grams of fat. The numbers are impressive and convince many that this is “everyday” food.
But folk wisdom says: even a good thing becomes bad if there’s too much of it. Interestingly, research from 2020 and 2024 shows that people who eat a varied diet and do not overdo it with animal proteins have more stable body weight, better heart function, and less frequent digestive problems.
In reality, then, chicken itself isn’t the problem – the problem is repetition. And repetition causes imbalance.
When there’s too much protein: your body doesn’t do well
Scientists recommend that proteins should make up 10 - 30% of your daily energy intake. This means that the average adult should consume between 46 and 56g of protein per day, depending on gender and physical activity.
But imagine eating chicken every day. Usually, we don’t eat just a little. Often, we eat 150g or more. Just with chicken, you can already exceed 45 - 50g of protein, which is practically your full recommended daily intake.
When your body gets more protein than it can use to build muscles, hormones, and tissues, the excess is converted into fat. This is not a folk myth, but a confirmed fact. A 2021 study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that people who eat too much animal protein for a long time more often gain fat around their abdomen and liver. Increase of fats in the liver can lead to a condition called steatosis (this is the term for fatty liver, which means fat accumulates in the liver and hinders its function).
Traditional folk medicine put it more simply: the liver gets tired if it carries the same load every day.
How chicken affects your heart: more than just cholesterol
Many people think chicken is safe for the heart. It’s true it’s less fatty than pork or beef. But even chicken contains cholesterol. An average piece has about 85 milligrams of cholesterol, which is a quarter of the upper recommended daily amount.
A 2020 study that analyzed the eating habits of over 29,000 people showed that those who eat a lot of poultry can still raise their LDL cholesterol (the “bad” cholesterol that builds up in blood vessels).
From a folk point of view, this phenomenon is described like this: where water stands, it begins to stagnate; where fat collects, problems arise.
If you eat chicken every day, your blood vessels gradually lose flexibility, your heart has to work harder, and the risk of cardiovascular disease increases. In recent years, these diseases have already become the leading cause of death.
Why eating chicken regularly makes maintaining a healthy weight harder
In 2023, a study on more than 10,000 participants showed that people who eat more plant-based proteins (beans, lentils, soy) have on average a 2.5 unit lower body mass index (BMI) than those who eat chicken or other meat every day.
This does not mean chicken is bad. The problem is that animal protein triggers a different hormonal response. The hormone IGF-1 increases, the feeling of fullness decreases, and as a result, we consume calories more quickly—even if we think we’re eating healthily.
Folk medicine has its saying for this: meat doesn’t bring satiety, only weight.
Increased risk of food poisoning
Between 2020 – 2025, in Europe, more than 40% of all food poisoning cases originated from poultry. The most common culprits are salmonella and campylobacter bacteria. Salmonella is a bacterium that causes diarrhea, fever, and stomach cramps. These bacteria multiply quickly in warm, moist food.
In practice, poisoning happens quickly:
- if you don’t heat chicken to at least 75 degrees Celsius,
- if your cutting board isn’t separated from vegetables,
- if raw meat juices get onto your salad.
Children, pregnant women, and the elderly are especially vulnerable, as they often have weaker immune systems.
Antibiotics in poultry: the silent danger that adds up
In intensive chicken farming, antibiotics are often used to prevent disease in crowded spaces. An antibiotic is a substance that kills bacteria, but if we consume them often, we can become less sensitive to them.
The European Food Safety Agency reported in 2022 that 48% of tested chicken meat contained traces of bacteria resistant to at least one antibiotic.
What does this mean for you?
If you often eat such meat, bacteria entering your body may learn about these antibiotics and figure out how to defeat them. When you really need treatment one day, medicines no longer work as effectively.
Folk wisdom summarizes this clearly: if the wolf hears the shepherd cry too often, it stops taking him seriously.
Why your body craves variety (and wants to warn you)
Our body is like a garden. If you always water only one part, other plants will wither. Nutrition works the same way. Anything we eat daily, even if it’s healthy, can lead to lack of other nutrients.
If you focus only on chicken, your body may start to lack:
- fiber,
- vitamins from vegetables,
- minerals from seeds and legumes,
- omega-3 fats found in fish.
A University of Barcelona study from 2023 showed that people who eat at least 25 different foods per week are less likely to get sick, have better digestion, and fewer inflammations. The first step is not to stop eating chicken. The first step is to listen to your body.
So you can do this:
- once a week, replace chicken with beans, which have 21g of protein per portion,
- use vinegar, which according to old recipes helps reduce bacteria when marinating,
- always heat chicken above 75 degrees Celsius,
- use fish once a week, which provides different fats to the body,
- add vegetables to dishes, as fiber reduces the effects of higher cholesterol.
Our grandmothers knew: a diverse pot is a calm stomach.
In summary: chicken in itself is totally fine. Your body knows how to use it. The problem only appears when you eat it every day. That’s when protein surpluses start to accumulate, the risk of heart problems goes up, it becomes harder to maintain a healthy weight, the risk of poisoning increases, and in the long term, also resistance to antibiotics.
If you eat a variety of foods, your body will reward you with more energy, better sleep, clearer thinking, and a more stable mood.
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