Chicken: Why Pasture-Raised Is Better
Fried, broiled, braised, or grilled: chicken is the world’s favorite meat. But is it really the healthiest?
Most of us eat a lot more chicken than we used to as its popularity has grown significantly over the years. In 1960, Americans consumed an average of about twenty-eight pounds of chicken per person each year, and that number has steadily risen with each passing year. Estimates for 2021 show us favoring this meat to the tune of ninety-eight pounds per person each year – more than triple what it was just 60 years ago!
The numbers defy comprehension; one US producer alone processes over forty-eight million chickens each week. And over nine billion chickens are raised and processed in the US each year.
Is that a good thing? Well, as I often say, it depends. And one of the main things it depends on is how those chickens are raised.
So let’s explore how most chickens are raised, why it matters, and how it affects your nutrition. In the end, I hope you’ll want to pay an extra five dollars to buy a pasture-raised chicken.
