(Ready-Made, Lotte mart) Chicken breast, Korea

First of all, I would like to share my experience with the chicken breast. After coming to Korea and getting engaged in the local fitness world, I have realized that going on fitness diet here means eating chicken breast, sweet potatoes and egg whites. That's basically a diet of a bodybuilder when he/she is getting ready for his/her competition.

I am starting to realize that Korean person will most probably always go for the most efficient shortcut at hand... Though I was resisting to believe, that one needs to cut off his diet so much (not portions, variety) to actually start losing that healthy two pounds a week.

Reluctantly gave it a shot, got incredible results.

Given that I do like my health, I was popping multivitamins, I was snacking on fruits after my exercise routine to replenish the energy and always got mushrooms and veg on the side and sometimes switched from sweet potato to steamed sweet pumpkin or brown rice. Got my fat intake cared of by snacking on almonds or melting a slice of cheese over the chicken breast. Now, after two health checks and a year on/off experimenting with this diet for myself, I must say, that if you want to lose around two pounds a week, this is a way how to do it. I scarcely felt hungry, my health check results were perfect, I wasn't lacking energy and I have finally stopped counting calories after almost 18 years. There is also a difference in "pounds" and "pounds". Slight change to eating habits for an obese person might just do the same difference, but if you are "just about there," it gets harder. I will always prefer two pounds a week on a strict diet for a month over a pound per a month counting calories on peanut butter, cutting the tasty toast to two halves trying to keep myself in the RDA calorie intake range every single day. I will lose what I find is needed to be lost and then enjoy maintaining the results by eating normally. And if I gain again, it's easily handled in a week or two. I am not preaching it as the right way. I just want to share how chicken breast diet finally made the difference after 18 years of yoyo-ing, fearing the gain and letting it take over my everyday life. I've was stressed out 360 days a year (and feeling guilty about the remaining 5).

I also realized, that sticking to a diet gets even harder when it is time demanding. This isn't. If I am to sacrifice in flavor and texture for a while, I don't want it to take up my time. So let me introduce you to the wonderful world of the ready-made chicken breast of Korean markets! Feel free to eat it with a side dish of your preferences and choice.

This time I'll talk about the variety available at LOTTE MARTs.

• Flavors: (5) SMOKED, BLACK PAPPER, PASTRAMI, TANDOORI, HERB

• Size: 100g (got one that, even after unpacking, weighed 120g, though)

• Price: 1800,- won

• Where to buy: Lotte mart

• Ingredients' Origin: 100% Korea

• Serving size: 100g

• Calories:105kcal~120kcal

• Cabrs:<1g

• Protein: 21g

• Fats: 2.1g

• Natrium: (depends on the flavor) 210mg~420mg

• Cholesterol: 60mg

Notes & RDA info:

Warning: Recommended daily intakes are more or less weight maintenance numbers and they vary according to individual's body composition, age, and other health conditions. Before applying any nutrition guidelines, make sure they are right for you personally and efficient for you own personal goal.

Calories: W 1800 ~ 2000kcal , M 2000 ~ 2500kcal.

Carbs: 130g (or 900~1200 kcal, beware what of those are coming from sugars, because no matter the calories, if you consume a lot from sugars you WILL NOT be healthy and thin)

Protein: varies for everybody according to his/her bodyweight and level of activity.

None to low average physical activity (sedentary life style): 0.8g/kg of weight (0.4g/lb)

Active (strength activity, average - vigorous): 1.2-1.7g/kg (0.5-0.8g/lb)

Active (endurance activity, average - vigorous): 1.2-1.4g/kg (0.5~0.6g/lb)

Fats: 20~35% of daily calories intake, roughty 50~60g, 540kcal ( note that 540kcal, as one gram has as much as 9kcal, equals to 5 tbl spoons of olive oil or 100g of raw almonds)

Natrium: 2300mg (equals to 1tbl spoon of salt)

Cholesterol: 200mg or lower (note that our body needs cholesterol intake, anything under 37mg of HDL (high-density lipoprotein, aka. "good cholesterol") is considered as low intake.

My review:

As a personal trainer, when I am in a fat loss mode, I tend to reach for less salty and less cholesterol option. But those are made by companies specialized in fitness nutrition and they are not for sale in common stores. But still, as long as you don't use additional salt or way too much of soy sauce somewhere, this is very good option even for a fat loss!

What I love about the Lotte Mart ready-made chicken breast is, that it is fairly cheap, very tasty and packed exactly as one serving size (100~120g). Even now with the AI around, the price stayed put. It fluctuates 1800 won ~ 2000 won per package, though.

So all I need to do to get my meal ready is, to buy and clean (cook) some mushrooms and veggies (fibre my friend, fibre...), cook me some sweet potato (usually cook few ahead, cause they do last up to 3 days in the fridge, sometimes replace it with brocolli or brussel sprouts, sweet pumpkin, why not?), brown rice or other carbs (depending if I am in my maintenance mode or fat loss mode), take out a pack of chicken breast which I put into microwave for 2~4 minutes and I am set.

Pastrami, Herb & Black papper flavors are very mild, which makes them very good option if you are in a mood for a dip sauce. Whereas Tandoori and Smoked flavors are very strong, Tandoori even a little hot, which makes them a good option for a salad topping or a sandwich/wrap filling

Before I've discovered the ready-made versions, I used to prepare fresh/frozen chicken breast with my own seasoning. If you are ok spending time on it and you already have the grip on how to make it tender, good for you :) These ready-made options are as tender as a cake! They are tender, but filling.

My favorite flavour would be pastrami. It doesn't have this spicy pepper taste taking over my taste buds (like the black pepper one, though that one is the best in combination with mustard!) and it is not as strong as smoked or tandoori, which are a heaven when eaten, but do leave an aftertaste in my mouth for quite a while (and they are much higher in sodium then the pepper and pastrami options).

Try it out and leave me and my readers some comments on it!

Yours faithfully,

Lenka Kim

#groceriesinkorea #reviewfood #RDA