The Danger In Eating Chicken Raised On Hormones
Over the last 30 years there has been a gradual increase in chicken consumption in America. Perceived health benefits, low price, good taste, health concerns regarding red meat are some of the reasons for the increasing popularity of chicken. Over this same period of time the occurrence of obesity has skyrocketed. Recent research suggests excessive chicken consumption may be a major contributor to the obesity epidemic that is taking place in America today.
In the 1870's the quality of chicken began to decrease. At that time it was found to be a healthy, lean meat rich in protein. A study conducted at the London Metropolitan University, UK, was recently published in Public Health Nutrition. In the study it was concluded that "modern organic and broiler chickens sold for human consumption provide more energy from fat than from protein." This is a significant discovery since published nutritional guidelines list chicken as a source of "lean protein." According to the study, between 1870 and 2004, fat content increased from 36 Kcal/100g to 207 Kcal/100g. During this same time period, chicken protein decrease from 84Kcal/100g to 64Kcal/100g. The study concluded that chicken can no longer be considered a low fat meat.
There are several reasons why chickens are obese today:
1) confinement to enclosures preventing exercise
2) consumption of a high calorie diet
3) Growth promoters and antibiotics (antibiotics are used to prevent infection but there is much evidence that they result in fat gain in both chickens and humans.
Not only are chickens unhealthy and fat, the are nutrient deficient and imbalanced. Chicken was once considered a good source of omega 3 fatty acids. Today, the ratio between omega 6 and 3 found in chickens is 9:1. The western diet is saturated with omega 6 fatty acids which has caused a health threatening imbalance between omega 6 and omega 3 in humans. Consuming chicken today only adds to this imbalance.
According to Chinese medicine, chicken has a harmful biological and physical impact on the liver. Overeating chicken may slow down or block liver function. The liver is the body's number one fat burner, which would explain why individuals who eat a lot of chicken gain weight and can not lose it. Eating chicken which has been raised with growth hormones causes an imbalance in the hormonal system. A hormonal imbalanced may lead to excessive weight gain, reproductive difficulties, heightened PMS symptoms and irregular periods.
If you are chicken lover you may want to consider switching to organic chicken and eating it less often. If you are serious about losing weight and/or becoming more healthy, restricting or eliminating chicken intake will make your efforts much easier.