Is Broiler Chicken Unhealthy?

Most of us buy meat from the market without thinking twice. But is broiler chicken unhealthy? Read on to know...

Wednesday, February 15, 2017, 8:56 [IST]

All chicken lovers hate to hear it but broiler chicken isn't so good for your health. If you really love eating chicken then eating country-chicken or chicken which is grown at home is better than broiler chicken.

The problem here is how the hen is grown. The breeding and feeding methods could cause the issue.

Also Read: 10 Reasons To Eat Eggs

The meat seller is more concerned about growing the hen fatter so that more meat could be sold. So, the methods used to grow the hen faster may sometimes be unhealthy practices which could affect the quality of the meat. Here are some more facts...

Fact #1

Firstly, raw meats may carry lots of germs and bacteria. In a broiler, there are hundreds of hens out of which some of them may be infected.

When they are slaughtered, some of them may be exposed to the bacteria of other birds. As scores of birds are raised together, slaughtered together and washed together, the probability of picking up bacteria may be higher than a home-grown bird.

Fact #2

Most of the birds are given anti-biotic injections to survive the living conditions of the poultry farm with low immunity.

Also Read: Why Meat And Liquor Are Bad

This could cause antibiotic resistance. If you consume the meat and suffer any infection, it might get tough to deal with it due to the antibiotic resistance.

Also, imagine those antibiotics which are inside the bird, entering your system!

Fact #3

There are some sources which argue that broiler chicken also raises the risk of cancer and high cholesterol levels but enough evidence is required to see whether home grown chicken is less risky in this case.

Fact #4

The practices that are followed to raise the birds aren't the same everywhere. In some places, certain chemicals and medicines are used to make the birds fatter and offer more meat. Those chemicals are a problem to human body.

Also Read: Reasons Why You Must Stop Eating Beef

Fact #5

The chances of suffering food poisoning could be higher when you eat broiler chicken. Some studies claim that almost 67% of broiler chicken contains E.Coli bacteria.

Fact #6

Is home grown chicken better? Yes, comparatively it is better. It is raised in a natural way, in normal conditions. It isn't exposed to other infected birds and you wouldn't obviously use chemicals to make it fat.

Also Read: Why Vegetarian Men Do Well In Bed

Fact #7

When you buy raw meat from the market, don't store it along with other vegetables of fruits. Also, when you use a knife to cut the meat, don't use it to cut vegetables. And don't forget to wash the knives, plates and other utensils which come in contact with raw meat.