Organic Chicken

Many organic farmers have maintained a commitment to excellence when it comes to the rearing of their chickens. Today, numerous shoppers are leaning towards organic chicken brands rather than other non-organically raised chickens.

What to Look For

If you are looking for a clean source of protein to institute into your diet, organic chicken can provide a handsome amount of nutrition. But, what exactly does organic mean? Not all organic labels on poultry provide the same standards, but the very best will meet the following high expectations:

• No hormones used
• No antibiotics used
• Chickens are fed organic meal
• Chickens are "free range"
• No artificial ingredients are used

The Importance of Free Range

Organic chickens are typically free range. This term "free range" is also seen on packages of eggs at the market. Free range refers to the method of raising chickens. Most mass-produced chickens are kept in close quartered cramped cages. This can lead to injuries and untold stresses.

Unfortunately, these stresses cause the release of stress hormones within the live chicken that will eventually be ingested by the consumer. Stressed chickens are often diseased, as stress can contribute to all sorts of ailments whether acute or chronic. The presence of ailing birds leads to a need for antibiotics which collect in the chickens and can affect the quality of taste thereafter.

Free range chickens are not confined to cages. They are allowed to roam freely while enjoying a natural diet. These changes in care truly influence the taste of the chicken, which is why most organic chicken meat abounds in taste.

Antibiotic Residues and Hormones

As mentioned previously, your chicken's diet largely affects its flavor. This is because residues of that diet remain within the chicken meat. Hence, any additives, medications, or artificial substances that are fed to your chicken will remain to some degree within the poultry, thus being passed along to the consumer during mealtime.

The overuse of antibiotics in current American society has produced many deleterious effects including weakened immunities, recurring infections, and strains of antibiotic resistant bacteria. It is imperative that antibiotics be prescribed only when absolutely necessary. Therefore, receiving antibiotic residues through dairy products, meats and poultry is a serious consideration.

Organic chicken is guaranteed to be free of such toxic and health-compromising substances; yet, for cost reasons or simply lack of better information, many consumers continue to purchase mass-produced chicken products. It has been reported that over half the types of antibiotics administered to chickens and livestock are identical to the drugs administered to humans, and with the existing rise of antibiotic resistant bacteria strains, the possibility of new and currently unconquerable human diseases is profound.

Where to Purchase Organic Chicken

Fortunately, more farmers are taking the organic route to ensure the purity and quality of their chickens. Organic chicken can be found at many organic food stores such as Whole Foods. Whole Foods is a large natural food market that has several locations nationwide. However, organic chicken can also be ordered online from individual organic companies. The popular health site Mercola.com offers a wealth of information regarding the purchase of organic chicken, beef, and other exotic animal meats from online vendors.