Chicken is one of the most accessible and humble sources of protein, but its rich nutritional profile grants it “superfood status” in our eyes, particularly when it comes to supporting brain health. Chicken is an excellent source of high-quality, lean protein and when cooked using healthy preparations, can be a low-calorie and low-fat animal product to provide important nutrients and keep you full! 

Foods, like chicken, that are high in protein are touted for their overall benefits and may be a tool for managing a healthy weight and blood sugar while contributing to muscle growth when paired with an active lifestyle. The amino acids found in protein sources like chicken are essential for the body’s repair and maintenance. 

Both white and dark meat chicken are considered to be a ‘complete protein’. This implies that chicken contains all nine of the essential amino acids that we are unable to manufacture ourselves, like we do with other ‘non-essential’ amino acids. 

When scientists and dieticians speak about the importance of consuming adequate amounts of protein, this is because we are required to obtain all nine of these essential amino acids from our diet alone. 

Amino acids are the key ingredient required for the brain to produce neurotransmitters which are the chemical messengers in the brain that influence mood, memory, and cognitive function.

Notably, chicken is a good source of choline, an amino acid that is vital for brain development and function. Choline is the main precursor required to make acetylcholine – one of the most abundant neurotransmitters in the brain. Acetylcholine is critically involved in cognitive functions, particularly memory and learning. 

It is especially active in the hippocampus, a part of the brain responsible for forming new memories. In a historic article from 1996 published in the Archives of Neurology, researchers out of Massachusetts Institute of Technology set out to test the effect of choline supplementation on memory retention in older adults. The team identified 32 participants with mild cognitive decline and randomized participants to receive either choline supplementation or a placebo for a two-month period. After 60 days, participants who received the choline therapy had improved short and long-term information recall when compared to the placebo group. 

Based on these findings, the clinicians hypothesize that choline supplements may be an effective strategy to mitigate age-related memory loss that may be the precursor to dementia. 

Likewise, a 2013 study published in the Nutrition Journal demonstrated that the molecules obtained from chicken may be associated with additional brain benefits, including both the ability to maintain attention, perform complex tasks, like multitasking, and store memories.

Led by Dr. Tsang, the research team conducted a rigorous, placebo-controlled trial to determine if chicken meat extracts could be beneficial to the cognitive function in healthy adults. Overall, the team found that those supplemented with chicken extracts had substantially better performance in all cognitive tests after six weeks’ supplementation than the control and such superior performance was maintained even after the trial concluded. 

These studies reinforce the importance of choline as a precursor to several vital substances in the body, including acetylcholine, the key neurotransmitter involved in memory and muscle control. Adequate choline intake supports cognitive function and may help prevent cognitive decline. Chicken is one of the most abundant protein sources of choline that can help maintain overall cognitive health and help support healthy brain aging. 

Check out our favourite chicken superfood recipes here >>