Initially, this was the name for a piece of meat on the bone, but in the 19th century, taverns began to serve juicy “chopped cutlets” that everyone liked. For example, even A.S. Pushkin, in poetic form, recommended trying “Pozharsky Cutlets” from an innkeeper in Torzhok to one of his friends.

Although the dish was borrowed from Europeans, it is considered Russian, since its preparation recipe was completely changed over time.

The benefits and harms of cutlets

The benefits and harms of cutlets are determined by the type of meat used to prepare them.

• Beef is a source of complete iron and protein, which is very useful for hematopoiesis and saturation of the body with oxygen. In addition, the vitamin B12 present in it promotes the complete and rapid absorption of iron. Collagen contained in beef is involved in the “construction” of interarticular ligaments, and zinc helps improve immunity. Moreover, all fried foods contain carcinogens that cause cancer, beef contains cholesterol, which can trigger the development of cardiovascular diseases.
• Pork is rich in magnesium and zinc, which help the functioning of blood vessels and the heart., fats restore strength, lysine forms bone tissue. Selenium and arachidonic acid “treat” depression and improve the process of cell renewal in the body. At the same time, you should avoid eating pork if you have vascular or heart disease, since meat contains a huge amount of cholesterol. Histamines can cause allergies and all kinds of inflammatory processes of the skin. Poorly cooked pork may contain helminths.
• Chicken meat is good for the nervous system, heart, immunity, helps regulate cholesterol levels, nourishes the body with easily digestible vitamins, amino acids and microelements. Indicated for elderly people, children weakened by long-term illnesses. Helps reduce acidity, thereby relieving pain from gastritis and stomach ulcers. You should not overeat chicken meat, otherwise putrefactive processes in the intestines may be activated. And people with individual protein intolerance should avoid chicken.

And, of course, the healthiest cutlets are homemade steamed cutlets made from fresh meat. In addition, the calorie content of homemade cutlets is significantly lower than store-bought ones.

Calorie content of cutlets

The table shows data on cutlets weighing 60 g. The calorie content of cutlets from different types of meat is averaged.

	Calorie content per 100g	Calorie content of 1 piece
Calorie content fried cutlets
Calorie content chicken cutlet	119 kcal	71 kcal
Calorie content fish cutlet	164 kcal	97 kcal
Calorie content vegetable cutlets	105 kcal	63 kcal
Calorie content pork cutlets	345 kcal	207 kcal
Calorie content beef cutlets	234 kcal	140 kcal
Calorie content	267 kcal	160 kcal
Calorie content turkey cutlets	184 kcal	110 kcal
Calorie content of cutlets for a couple
Calorie content chicken cutlet	84 kcal	50 kcal
Calorie content fish cutlet	125 kcal	75 kcal
Calorie content vegetable cutlets	52 kcal	31 kcal
Calorie content pork cutlets	290 kcal	174 kcal
Calorie content beef cutlets	172 kcal	103 kcal
Calorie content pork and beef cutlets	198 kcal	119 kcal
Calorie content turkey cutlets	145 kcal	87 kcal

How to improve the taste of cutlets

To improve the taste of the cutlets, make them juicy and soft, you should add any of the following ingredients:

• pieces of white bread (in a ratio of 1:10), dipped in cream or milk;
• onions in a ratio of 1:2 (1 part onion, 2 parts meat);
• various vegetables in a 1:2 ratio (carrots, zucchini, eggplant, potatoes, cabbage).

As a side dish, you can serve any vegetable puree, cereal porridge, boiled, fresh or steamed vegetables, pasta, canned peas, and herbs. Taste mclear cutlets goes well with all kinds of pickles: sauerkraut, barrel cucumbers, pickled tomatoes.

Steamed chicken cutlet - at least 3 words indicate that this is a healthy low-calorie dish. Firstly - chicken, secondly - steamed. Chicken is considered a dietary product. And steam treatment is one of the most gentle and beneficial. Steamed meat, fish and vegetables retain maximum beneficial properties. During cooking, most of them go into the water. True, along with useful substances, calories also go into the broth. What happens in the steamer?

Everything is preserved in the steamer. Both nutrients and calories. Let's talk about the latter in more detail. Calorie content directly depends on the part of the chicken from which the minced meat for the cutlets is prepared. In addition, additional ingredients are important. To make it easier to understand, let’s look at the example of a low-calorie recipe for chicken cutlets.

Ingredients:

To find out the calorie content of the finished cutlet per 100 g, divide the total calorie content by the total weight:

895.45/1015*100 = 88.22 kcal.

Unlike frying, during which some of the weight of the product is lost, when steaming the weight is retained. To find out the calorie content of one cutlet, multiply not by 100, but by the number of servings.

On average, the calorie content of chicken cutlets is estimated at 120-140 kcal per 100 g. But eggs, salt, and spices were not used in this recipe. In addition, the breast is the lowest calorie part of the chicken. It is rich in protein, easily digestible and contains no cholesterol or fat (if the skin is removed first). Chicken breast is the most suitable part for preparing dietary dishes.

How to reduce the calorie content of chicken cutlets?

1. Instead of a whole egg, use only the egg white for the minced mixture. The calorie content of eggs is 157 kcal per 100 g. Moreover, it is the yolk that contains most of the calories. If you omit eggs completely, the minced meat may fall apart. Protein can also be replaced with low-fat sour cream.
2. Do not use fatty parts of chicken for mincing. Animal fat is rich in cholesterol, and to get rid of this richness, choose lean cuts of meat. As we have already found out, breast without skin is excellent.
3. Make small round cutlets. The smaller their weight, the lower the calorie content per serving. At the same time, having eaten 2 (even small) cutlets, you won’t want to try a third one.
4. Omit the bread from the recipe. It's better to add a little crackers.
5. To make the cutlet better digestible, add parsley to the minced meat. It promotes better digestion of food, cleanses the intestines, so after lunch with chicken cutlets you will feel light.

For comparison, cutlets cooked with bread and egg contain 138 kcal per 100 g. The table below shows the calorie content and weight of each product according to the recipe.

Calorie content of cutlets per 100 g:

1367/990.5*100 = 138 kcal

As you can see, with the addition of eggs, flour and bread to the recipe, the calorie content increased by almost 49 kcal. At the same time, the calorie content of 1 serving according to this recipe is 171 kcal. Even if you follow a diet in which the energy value of the daily diet is about 1600-1800 kcal, then 1 such cutlet for lunch with vegetables is a completely suitable option. And if at the same time you play sports, and your caloric intake is even higher, then 2-3 steamed chicken cutlets is a good dietary lunch after a workout. The protein contained in the breast will be used to restore muscle tissue.

Cutlets are a fairly high-calorie dish and are rarely used in a healthy diet. However, this dish can be dietary and low-calorie. To enjoy the taste of cutlets and maintain your figure, it is advisable to choose lean beef or lamb and not eat pork. Instead of frying, it is recommended to cook the dish in a double boiler, slow cooker or oven. You can add vegetables to the meat cutlets or use them as a side dish.

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Composition of cutlets from different types of meat

In general, the ratio of BJU in cutlets is presented in the following proportions:

BJU in cutlets

Type of meat	Composition, benefits and harm of individual elements
Beef	Beef contains a large amount of complete protein and iron, due to which the human body is saturated with oxygen, which has a beneficial effect on the functioning of the hematopoietic system. Vitamin B12 helps quickly and fully absorb iron. The type of meat in question contains a lot of collagen, which is one of the “building” materials for interarticular ligaments. High levels of zinc help improve the functioning of the human immune system and strengthen defenses. But beef meat contains cholesterol, which is the cause of the development of cardiovascular pathologies.
Pork	Pork contains large amounts of magnesium and zinc, which are essential for normal heart function. High levels of lysine ensure the formation of bone tissue. Thanks to selenium and arachidonic acid, a person gets rid of depression, and the cells of the body are renewed. However, this type of meat, like beef, contains a lot of cholesterol and is characterized by high levels of histamine. It causes various allergic reactions and inflammatory processes of the skin.
Chicken	Chicken meat has a beneficial effect on the functioning of the nervous system, normalizes cholesterol levels, and saturates the body with vitamins and microelements. Chicken helps reduce stomach acid levels
Mutton	Lamb contains much more iron than other types of meat. Therefore, it is recommended for use by those who suffer from anemia. In addition, meat contains large quantities of vitamins PP, B1, E, B2, B9, B5, B6. Lamb is rich in macroelements such as calcium, potassium, sodium, phosphorus. Fluoride contained in lamb helps fight tooth decay and keeps teeth in good condition.
Turkey	Turkey meat protein is 95% digestible and contains little cholesterol. It contains a lot of potassium and polyunsaturated acids, which has a beneficial effect on the functioning of the cardiovascular system. The level of phosphorus is the same as in fish. Therefore, it is indicated to prevent joint problems. Zinc helps men eliminate sexual problems
Fish	The benefit of fish cutlet lies in the fact that fish contains omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, which are not found in other products. These substances lower blood cholesterol levels, which has a beneficial effect on the cardiovascular system. Fish with low fat content helps normalize weight. But there are often cases when salts of heavy metals and toxic substances are found in the tissues and organs of river and sea fish, which contaminate the water in which they live

Calorie content

To correctly calculate the calories in cutlets, you need to consider what ingredients they are made from and the cooking method. The table presents data on the number of kilocalories per 100 g based on the assumption that 1 piece in finished form weighs about 60 grams.

Calorie content of fried cutlets

Cutlets fried in oil are considered the most high-calorie.

Type of cutlet	kcal per 100 g	Calorie content per piece
From pork
Beef
From pork and beef
Homemade ground beef
Beef liver
Turkey fillet
Meatballs with rice
From minced meat with zucchini
Chicken balls
Pork balls
Beef chops
Chicken Kiev
From chicken breast
From lamb
Breaded sauerkraut
From cauliflower
Buckwheat
From oatmeal

Calorie content of steamed cutlets

The calorie content of a steamed dish is significantly lower than that of fried cutlets.

Principles of preparing a dietary dish

The greatest benefit for the digestive system and the human body comes from steamed food. The products do not come into contact with the surface, which is heated, and they do not have a crispy crust. In addition, no oil is used to prepare them. All these factors are the key to preparing a real dietary dish.

To properly prepare low-calorie steamed cutlets, you need to listen to simple recommendations:

1. 1. Do not use pork, fatty lamb and beef. The meat cutlet should be prepared from chicken, lean veal and beef, rabbit, and fish.
2. 2. In order for the cutlets to bring maximum benefits to the body and help maintain your figure, they can be cooked with the addition of vegetables and cereals.
3. 3. For heat treatment of such dishes, it is necessary to use steamers, pans with grates (manto cookers). Modern multicookers are equipped with a steaming function.
4. 4. If special utensils are not available, a regular saucepan with a small amount of water will do. A sieve with products should be placed on top of the container, which should be covered with a lid.
5. 5. As a side dish, you need to use fresh, boiled or stewed vegetables.

The method for preparing delicious dietary cutlets is presented step by step in the recipes below.

Lean veal cutlets

The calorie content of this dish is 170 kilocalories per 100 g.

To prepare cutlets you need the following ingredients:

• 350 g minced veal;
• 150 g minced beef;
• 100 g milk;
• 2 eggs;
• 2 cloves of garlic;
• 100 g bread pulp;
• 1 onion;
• salt, spices, herbs - to taste.

Cooking method:

1. 1. The minced meat is thoroughly mixed, after which onions, garlic, eggs, bread pulp soaked in milk, finely chopped herbs and spices are added. Everything gets mixed up again.
2. 2. The baking sheet is covered with foil and greased with oil.
3. 3. With wet hands, cutlets are formed and placed on a baking sheet.
4. 4. Baking time in the oven is 20–25 minutes. The temperature for cooking cutlets is 180 degrees.

Steamed chicken cutlets in a slow cooker

The calorie content of steamed chicken meatballs is 129 kcal per 100 g.

Ingredients:

• 300 g chicken fillet;
• 100 g onions;
• 10 g garlic;
• 1 egg;
• 20 g sunflower oil;
• 20 g salad;
• salt, pepper - to taste.

Cooking method:

1. 1. Using a meat grinder, grind the meat, onion, and garlic.
2. 2. Add the remaining ingredients to the resulting minced meat and mix thoroughly.
3. 3. Form cutlets and place them in a multicooker container.
4. 4. To prepare, set the “Cooking” program for 20 minutes.
5. 5. Before serving, place the cutlets on lettuce leaves.

Dietary steamed turkey cutlets

Turkey is the most dietary meat. To add juiciness to the cutlets, this recipe uses rolled oats, which successfully replaces bread or crackers. The calorie content of the dish per 100 g is 95 kilocalories.

Ingredients:

• 600 g turkey meat;
• 100 g low-fat sour cream;
• 1 onion;
• 1 carrot;
• 100 g oatmeal;
• salt, spices - to taste.

Cooking method:

1. 1. Dilute sour cream with 3 tablespoons of warm water, add rolled oats and let swell for 20 minutes.
2. 2. Grind turkey meat with onions using a meat grinder.
3. 3. Add carrots grated on a coarse grater to the minced meat.
4. 4. Mix oatmeal with minced meat, salt and pepper.
5. 5. Form cutlets and place in the multicooker bowl.
6. 6. Cook the dish in the “Steam” mode. Cooking time is 20 minutes.

Proper preparation of cutlets will allow you to enjoy the taste of this dish even for those who adhere to the principles of a healthy diet and watch their figure.

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Chicken meat makes up a significant part of our consumer basket. It is affordable and considered a lighter product compared to beef and pork. Nutritionists of all directions willingly include chicken meat in the daily diet of their patients.

Calorie content of chicken dishes

Due to its low fat content, chicken meat is recommended for dietary nutrition. It contains a large amount of complete protein, rich in potassium and phosphorus, iron and magnesium, and contains a whole range of vitamins. White meat from the breast is considered the most valuable, while red meat (legs) is slightly less useful. It is undesirable to eat the skin, it contains a high fat content, in addition, it accumulates many harmful substances. A simple way to diversify the menu is a chicken cutlet. The calorie content of this dish depends primarily on the choice of raw materials and method of preparation. For the dietary table, it is recommended to prepare steamed cutlets from white meat.

Boiled white chicken meat without skin contains 110 kcal, red - 155 kcal. The calorie content of steamed dishes is significantly lower than with other food processing methods. Steamed dishes are useful for older people and children, for anyone who is on a diet to lose excess weight, and for patients with problems of the digestive organs.

Advantages of steamed dishes: prepared without the use of oil; low processing temperature, allowing you to preserve the maximum amount of useful substances. During the cooking process, no harmful carcinogens are formed, as during frying; nutrients remain in the meat and do not go into the water, as during cooking.

For comparison: the calorie content of fried chicken cutlets is 240 kcal per 100 grams. It will vary slightly depending on the addition of auxiliary ingredients. Steamed chicken cutlets have a low rate. Their calorie content is on average 160 kcal per 100 g.

Chicken cutlets from prepared minced meat

The easiest way to make cutlets is from store-bought minced meat. The calorie content of a cutlet made from minced chicken bought in a store will be slightly higher than from homemade minced meat, since manufacturers use all parts of the chicken carcass to make it. But you will save time.

For 0.5 kg of finished minced meat, take 2 eggs, 100 grams of white bread, a medium-sized onion, salt, herbs, 2-3 cloves of garlic. Soak the bread in milk, squeeze lightly and grind in a meat grinder. Next, twist the onion and garlic. Finely chop the greens, mix everything with the minced meat, and add salt to taste. Form small round cutlets and cook in a double boiler for 30 minutes.

How to prepare minced chicken cutlets

Making minced meat yourself is not that difficult. But you will know exactly what it is made of. Minced chicken is twisted from white or red meat, previously separated from the bones. Please note that the white meat in the finished product is very dry. Therefore, if you are not on a diet, it is better to mix it with red meat or add a little mayonnaise, sour cream or white bread soaked in milk to the cutlets.

Chicken cutlets in a slow cooker

The multicooker has become a great helper in the kitchen. Cooking chicken cutlets in it is very simple and quick, and the taste of the finished dish is simply delicious.

Recipe: chicken cutlet (calorie content 175 kcal), steamed in a slow cooker.

Compound:

• 2 chicken breasts or 500 grams of chicken fillet (white meat);
• 2 eggs;
• 100 grams of white bread;
• 1 onion;
• salt, seasonings to taste.

Minced meat is prepared from chicken meat, eggs and white bread. Finely chop the onion. Set the multicooker to the “Multicook” mode, and at a temperature of 160 °C, fry the onion in a small amount of vegetable oil for 5 minutes. Mix sautéed onions with minced meat. Then set the “Steam” mode, make cutlets and place them in the multicooker bowl. Cook for 20 minutes.

Steamed chicken cutlets with vegetables

A great combination would be vegetables and chicken cutlet. In this case, the calorie content of the dish is reduced by 20-40 kcal.

You can prepare cutlets by adding egg, bread, onion and vegetable ingredients, grated or twisted in a meat grinder, to the minced meat.

For 500 grams of minced meat of your choice:

• 300 grams of pumpkin;
• 1 small zucchini, 1 carrot;
• zucchini 250 g, carrots 100 g, white cabbage 100 g, sweet pepper 100 g;
• 1 sweet pepper, 2 tomatoes.

There are many options here, use your imagination and feel free to put your favorite vegetables in the cutlets. The main thing is that the minced cutlet retains its shape and does not spread out. Otherwise, you can add a little potato starch.

Chicken cutlets with cheese

You can diversify the taste of chicken cutlets by adding high-fat foods, such as cheese and sour cream. The calorie content of a steamed chicken cutlet with cheese is 220 kcal per 100 grams.

Products:

• 500 grams of chicken meat.
• 2 onions.
• 1 carrot.
• 2 eggs.
• 2 slices of white bread.
• 2 tbsp. l. sour cream.
• 100 g cheese;
• Salt, pepper, curry, herbs (dill, parsley).

The meat is ground in a blender. Finely chop the onions and greens, grate the carrots and cheese on a medium grater. Add vegetables, white bread soaked in milk, and the remaining ingredients to the minced meat. Salt to taste, mix thoroughly and put in the refrigerator for 1 hour. Then cutlets are formed and cooked in a double boiler for 30 minutes.

Steamed chopped chicken cutlets

Chopped chicken cutlet has a juicy taste and wonderful aroma. The calorie content of the dish is 180 kcal per 100 g.

To make the cutlets more juicy, you can use minced meat rather than minced meat to prepare them. For this recipe, it is better to use red chicken meat, as chopped breast cutlets are a bit dry. For two servings you will need:

• 0.5 kg chicken legs;
• 2 tbsp. l. potato starch;
• 2 eggs;
• 1 onion;
• 2 tbsp. l. mayonnaise;
• salt;
• seasoning: ground black pepper or a mixture of peppers.

The meat is separated from the bones, cut into square pieces of approximately 1 cm, the onion is peeled and finely chopped. Place meat, onions, eggs in a deep bowl and mix. Then starch, mayonnaise, salt and spices are added. Mix again. Leave for 2-4 hours in the refrigerator so that the meat is thoroughly soaked. Then they make large cutlets and place them in a steamer. Cooking time - 30 minutes.

If you are tired of steamed foods, then sometimes you can indulge in fried chicken cutlets. The calorie content of fried chicken cutlets is 20-30 kcal lower than cutlets made from other types of meat, and you will get no less pleasure from eating.

Cutlets are a traditional favorite dish that is prepared both for holidays and for the everyday table. This is a fairly nutritious food, the nutritional value of which primarily depends on the minced meat from which it is made. They can be prepared from different types of meat and fish; the calorie content of the cutlets depends on the composition.

For those who are on a diet, the calorie content of cutlets is very important, because it depends on whether the person losing weight can afford to eat this food. If you are on a diet, then the way you prepare this food also matters.

Previously, cutlets were called pieces of meat on the bone. And only at the beginning of the 19th century did drinking establishments begin to offer visitors the option of chopped cutlets.

Despite the fact that the recipe for this dish has its roots in Europe, in Russia chefs have changed the recipe to suit themselves, and now this dish is considered traditional Russian. Even Pushkin was a fan of this food. In one of his poems, he advised a friend to try “Pozharsky cutlets” in a tavern.

From pork

Cutlets made from pork are very popular. This food turns out juicy and nutritious. The calorie content of pork cutlets is 200 kcal per 100 grams.

Such food is beneficial, since pork contains a high amount of zinc and magnesium; these microelements help maintain vascular health. The fats that are present in the composition bring a new influx of energy to the body. There is also such an important substance as lysine, which is actively involved in the formation of bone tissue.

Arachidonic acid and selenium, which are contained in the composition, help fight depression; thanks to these elements, active cell renewal is launched.

But we must not forget that pork food, if consumed regularly, can have a bad effect on the health of the heart and joints. This is due to the presence of high amounts of cholesterol in it. Also, the histamines present here can cause allergies and other inflammations of the skin.

If you are losing weight, then, of course, eating pork is not the best option, especially when fried, it is better to steam it.

Beef

For those losing weight, beef cutlets are a suitable option for this dish. It contains 260 kcal calories per 100 grams. But beef cutlets are much less fatty.

If you want to cook this meal with beef, then pay attention to the color of the meat, it should be pink and even in color.

This beef dish is also beneficial. This is because beef is a complete protein and source of iron. Thus, eating this meat promotes good hematopoiesis and also saturates the body with oxygen.

In beef cutlets you will also find useful vitamin B12, which will help iron to be absorbed as much as possible. This meat contains collagen, which is actively involved in building ligaments between joints. Zinc, which is present in the composition, tones the immune system.

However, meat, as an animal product, contains a high amount of cholesterol, so frequent consumption is harmful to the health of blood vessels and the heart. If you often eat fried meat, you will pollute your body with carcinogens.

It will be much healthier to steam this food. Thus, you will reduce its calorie content and avoid carcinogens.

From chicken meat

Perhaps the most dietary version of this food is chicken cutlet. The calorie content of cutlets will be approximately 119 kcal per 100 grams. Despite the lower calorie content, chicken cutlet is a very tasty and healthy dish.

Chicken is rich in vitamins, microelements and amino acids, which are easily absorbed by our body.

Eating this meat has beneficial effect:

• on the nervous system;
• cardiovascular;
• on the immune functions of the body;
• It also helps normalize cholesterol levels in the body.

Thus, a chicken cutlet will be very useful for everyone, especially children, the elderly, and people with poor health. Chicken cutlet will be useful for those who have high stomach acidity; this dish will reduce it.

Steamed chicken cutlet is a great option for those who are on a diet.

But you shouldn’t overuse this dish. Since in excess, chicken meat can cause putrefactive processes in the gastrointestinal tract. A chicken cutlet will not be useful for those who have individual protein intolerance.

From fish

Fish cutlets are no less tasty and healthy. The calorie content of this food, if steamed, is only 90 kcal per 100 grams. Fish cutlets are perfect for dietary nutrition.

Fish is a source of easily digestible protein. Fish contains high amounts of vitamin D, which can regulate cholesterol. Fish cakes are also an excellent source of vitamins B6 and B12. Thanks to this, fish cutlets have a great effect on the health of the nervous system and immunity in general.

Of the microelements, fish cutlets are rich in calcium, sodium, phosphorus, which makes their consumption very beneficial for the muscular system. They are also beneficial for muscles because they contain a rich composition of amino acids.

This dish, especially steamed, is very healthy for everyone, in particular for children; it is not for nothing that it is included in the weekly menu in every kindergarten.