Chicken: The Unhealthy White Meat

Consumption of chicken has increased dramatically in the last two decades; the average North American eats over 50 pounds of chicken each year, which is twice the amount that was consumed twenty years ago. Most people see chicken as a healthy alternative to beef and as a low-fat and wholesome part of their diet. If you add the fact that chicken is cheap, versatile and fast, the unassuming bird seems to be the ideal entree. Meanwhile, the bird that is held in such high regard in our diets is responsible for over 1000 deaths and between 7 million to 80 million illnesses each year in the US alone!

From factory farms to sick birds, the chicken industry is far from wholesome. Time magazine has called chicken Òone of the most dangerous items in the American homeÓ. Recent reports tell us that over 30% of US chicken is contaminated with Salmonella, and 62% is contaminated with Camphylobacter; these two pathogens cause 80% of the illnesses and 75% of the deaths associate with meat consumption, according to the US Department of Agriculture (USDA). The chickens we eat are overweight, overgrown, and unhealthy. Yet people happily throw buffalo wings, chicken breasts, drumsticks and frozen dinners into their shopping carts, blind to the realities of eating the popular bird.

Is Chicken A Healthy Meat Alternative?

Fears of cholesterol and high amounts of fat have turned more people on to chicken than ever before. Many people began eating more chicken and less red meat, believing that chicken is a healthier and smarter choice. Unknowing consumers will be surprised to learn that chicken is not a low-fat food, as even light, skinless chicken derives almost 18% of its calories from fat, while skinless roast dark chicken is 32% fat! Reports also show that the cholesterol content of chicken can be comparable to beef at 25 milligrams per ounce. A lower-fat alternative? Possibly, depending on which cut of beef one compares his chicken to, but chicken is definitely not a low-fat food!