Reinventing Chicken Nuggets: How Red and Green Beans Can Make Fast Food Healthier

Chicken nuggets have become one of the world’s favorite convenience foods. They are easy to prepare, widely available, and loved by both children and adults. However, traditional chicken nuggets are often criticized for containing limited dietary fiber and relatively low levels of natural antioxidants. What if this popular food could be transformed into a healthier product without sacrificing its nutritional value? A recent scientific study offers an exciting answer by introducing red bean flour and green bean flour as innovative ingredients for healthier chicken nuggets.

The research, entitled “Diversification of Healthy Chicken Nugget Rich in Antioxidants and Dietary Fiber with Substitution of Green Bean Flour (Phaseolus radiatus L.) and Red Bean Flour (Phaseolus vulgaris L.)”, was published in the International Journal of Chemical and Biochemical Sciences (IJCBS) by the International Scientific Organization in 2024. The study investigated how replacing tapioca flour with red bean flour and green bean flour influences the nutritional and physicochemical characteristics of chicken nuggets.

The findings demonstrate that simple ingredient substitution can significantly improve food quality. As the proportion of bean flour increased, the nuggets became richer in health-promoting compounds. Red bean flour substantially increased antioxidant activity, reaching 65.67%, while protein content increased to 22.10% at the highest substitution level. Meanwhile, green bean flour produced the highest dietary fiber content, reaching 10.73%, making the nuggets a healthier option for consumers seeking more balanced nutrition. Importantly, all formulations continued to meet the Indonesian National Standard (SNI) for chicken nugget protein content, confirming that improved nutrition did not compromise product quality.

The study also observed changes in the appearance of the nuggets. Higher levels of bean flour resulted in a darker product due to the natural Maillard reaction that occurs during cooking. While the color became slightly less bright, this change reflected the presence of natural plant compounds and did not reduce the nutritional benefits. Instead, it highlighted how natural ingredients can replace highly processed additives while maintaining product functionality.

This innovation has important implications for public health and sustainable food systems. Consumers today increasingly demand foods that not only taste good but also contribute to healthier lifestyles. By incorporating locally available legumes into processed meat products, food manufacturers can increase dietary fiber intake, improve antioxidant consumption, and promote more diversified agricultural products. Such innovations also create additional economic opportunities for local farmers producing red beans and green beans.

The research strongly supports several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It contributes directly to SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being by encouraging the development of healthier processed foods with improved nutritional profiles. It advances SDG 4: Quality Education by demonstrating how scientific research can generate practical innovations for the food industry and public nutrition. Furthermore, it supports SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals by emphasizing collaboration among researchers, universities, and scientific institutions in developing sustainable food technologies. Improved food innovation also contributes indirectly to SDG 1: No Poverty by creating value-added agricultural products that can strengthen local economies and support farmer livelihoods.

This study reminds us that healthier food does not always require complicated technology. Sometimes, meaningful innovation begins with choosing better ingredients. By combining poultry products with nutritious legumes, researchers have demonstrated that everyday foods such as chicken nuggets can become healthier, more sustainable, and better suited to the nutritional needs of modern society.

Article Metadata Source:
Article Title: Diversification of Healthy Chicken Nugget Rich in Antioxidants and Dietary Fiber with Substitution of Green Bean Flour (Phaseolus radiatus L.) and Red Bean Flour (Phaseolus vulgaris L.)
Journal: International Journal of Chemical and Biochemical Sciences (IJCBS)
Publisher: International Scientific Organization
Publication Year: 2024

DOI : https://doi.org/10.62877/113-IJCBS-24-25-19-113

Contact:
Muhammad Irfan said
08124206293
Email: irfanunhas@gmail.com / irfan.said@unhas.ac.id