Marinades, healthy or not ?

chollands29
chollands29 Posts: 46 Member
in Food and Nutrition
So commonly we will make chicken and marinade it with the premade spice mixes you can buy at the grocery store and that taste great (i.e. Weber Grill, or Grill mates). The chicken sits in the marinade for about and hour and then most of it gets shaken off.
But the marinade requires about 1/4 a cup of oil.

Would you consider this healthy or not? I know commonly over use of oil is a problem in cooking but most of the oil is left in the bowl that I marinate it in?

Replies

  • CoachLeah1965
    CoachLeah1965 Posts: 18
    It really depends. Oil in and of itself is not bad. Extra Virgin Olive oil and coconut oil are actually excellent fat sources.

    As far as the 'health' of the marinade, it would depend on the ingredients. I try to avoid GMO foods so any pre-made anything can be problematic for me.

    If you have one and want to list the ingredients, I am more than happy to go over them with you.

    Leah
  • becomeanewme
    becomeanewme Posts: 10
    I googled this a bit and some of the suggestions found were:


    "Measure the marinade before you add it and after you remove the chicken. The difference is what was absorbed. Calculate the percentage of the marinade absorbed times the calories in the entire batch of marinade."


    "A nutritionist friend of mine advised me years ago that for a paste type marinade (eg pesto) assume 1 tbsp of the marinade sticks to each 85 grams (3 oz) meat.
    For a oil based liquid marinade, assume 0.5 tbsp of the marinade sticks to each 85 grams (3 oz) meat.
    For a non-oil liquid based marinade (eg juices or wine etc) assume 1/3 tbsp sticks to each 85 grams (3 oz) of meat."

    Personally I think I'd go for the first option as it sounds like it would be more accurate. Maybe someone else can give a better answer but that's what I found!
  • fruttibiscotti
    fruttibiscotti Posts: 986 Member
    Depends what's in the marinade and what you consider healthy.

    I make my own marinades, out of extra virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar, fresh herbs like thyme, fresh squeezed lemon juice, Dijon mustard, wine, garlic, etc. I think these are healthy.

    I see lots of grocery store processed stuff which I personally don't consider healthy, like marinades made with high fructose corn syrup, soybean oil, preservatives, colouring agents, etc.

    But that's my opinion, I hope you find what's right for you. Good luck.
  • chollands29
    chollands29 Posts: 46 Member
    so my favorite of all time is Grill Mates Chipotle Pepper Marinade

    Ingredients list:
    Sugar, Salt, Tomato, Chipotle Pepper, Spices (Including Chili Pepper), Modified Corn Starch, Garlic, Onion, Citric Acid, And Natural Flavor.

    how they say to make it:
    1 package Grill Mates® Chipotle Pepper Marinade
    1/4 cup water
    1/4 cup vegetable or olive oil
    2 pounds pork, chicken or beef


    Per Serving Nutritional Info (although I couldn't figure out how they defined a serving)
    Total Calories: 10
    Fat: 0 g
    Cholesterol: 0 g
    Sodium: 520 mg
    Carbohydrates: 2 g
    Fiber: 0 g
    Sugar: 1g
  • chollands29
    chollands29 Posts: 46 Member
    I never realized that the first ingredient was sugar! so I guess that is interesting
  • Lizzy622
    Lizzy622 Posts: 3,705 Member
    I love marinades because they add flavor but as you just discovered many of the ones in the store have added sugar or too much salt. I like mixing my own.
  • MinnieInMaine
    MinnieInMaine Posts: 6,400 Member
    I would think the worst part of most of those marinades is the sodium content, at least for someone like me who gains a couple pounds of water weight at the merest mention of sodium. :) I mostly use the McCormick's ones.

    For the most part, they're really not that bad. Don't be afraid of the oil - use a healthier one like olive oil if you like but honestly the amount that's actually left of the meat is negligible. Plus we need plenty of fats in our diet for good health. Essential for vitamin absorption, good skin, cell repair, etc etc. Also don't be too afraid of sugar, it's not really a problem unless you've got a medical condition that requires you to monitor your intake. Everything in moderation!
  • cfredz
    cfredz Posts: 292 Member
    make your own marinade
  • ciki90
    ciki90 Posts: 51 Member
    Yep, I always make my own marinades for meats. Usually it's pretty simple... Salt and vinegar to make the meat tender, different spices for whatever kind of cuisine you're after, maybe a bit of fat but not too much -- usually just enough to cover the meat, and I add liquid to cover the rest of the meat.

    For chicken, I sometimes use RF buttermilk, salt, water and lemon juice when I want oven-fried chicken. Sometimes for kabobs I'll do lemon juice, onions/onion powder, saffron, salt, a drizzle of EVOO and cover the rest with water or maybe even yogurt.
    For BBQ, I'll do apple cider vinegar, a spice rub, some salt, maybe a can of tomatoes.

    .... The point is, is that honestly, storebought marinades are easily recreated in a healthier way. There are definitely ways around using oil. Most of the time, you can keep your kitchen stocked with just a few ingredients and spices and whip up a marinade fairly easily and inexpensively. It's way you can also be sure of the nutritional content of your meal even better! Good luck :)

Categories