A guide to choosing pasture-raised chicken
NUTRITIONAL VALUE OF CHICKEN
Chicken has an impressive nutritional profile.
Just one 3-oz serving of chicken breast can provide 25 grams of complete protein – the kind of protein that contains all twenty types of amino acids. In fact, it ranks as the second-highest protein source in comparison to the other meat products such as beef, lamb, pork, fish, and dairy products (Willett and Skerrett, 2017). With its protein content being only one gram lower than beef, chicken proves to be a nutritious choice for people who are looking to meet their protein needs.
But the nutritional value of chicken goes beyond protein content. Per 3-oz serving of chicken breast, people can obtain more than half (51%) of the Daily Value for niacin, more than a third (36%) of the Daily Value for selenium, 17% DV for phosphorus, 16% DV for vitamin B6, 10% DV for vitamin B12, 9% DV for vitamin B2, 7% DV for zinc, 6% DV for vitamin B1, 5% DV for potassium, and 4% DV for copper.
CHOOSING THE BEST CHICKEN: WHAT TO LOOK FOR
While chicken can be a great addition to a healthy diet, not all chickens are created equal. It’s important for people to understand what to look for in order to obtain the most nutritious chicken. For that, here are some factors to consider:
LOOKING FOR ORGANIC CHICKEN
Organic chicken, as defined by the USDA, has to meet the following criteria:
- Uncaged living conditions: Organic chickens cannot be confined to small cages. They have to be housed inside barns or houses that allow for free movement.
- Outdoor access: Organic chickens need to have outdoor access to express their natural activities such as pecking, foraging, and basking in natural sunlight.
- No hormones or antibiotics: Organic chicken production strictly prohibits the use of hormones or antibiotics for growth promotion or routine disease prevention.
- Organic diet: The USDA mandates that organic chickens must be fed a diet that is free from synthetic herbicides, pesticides, fertilizers, bioengineered feed, and other harmful chemicals such as inorganic arsenic.
By choosing organic chicken, people can significantly reduce their exposure to synthetic herbicides, pesticides, fertilizers, and bioengineered feed commonly found in conventionally raised poultry, and thus minimizing their risk of exposure to antibiotic-resistant bacteria such as salmonella.
It’s also good to know that organic chicken normally undergoes rigorous standards and testing to ensure food safety. Organic farms have to adhere to strict regulations and employ comprehensive measures to prevent contamination and to ensure the highest standards of hygiene. From the farm to the processing facility, organic chicken production follows stringent protocols to minimize the risk of foodborne illness, providing people with added confidence in the safety of the product they are consuming.
LOOKING FOR PASTURE-RAISED CHICKEN
While organic chickens are generally considered safe to eat, pasture-raised chickens surpass organic chickens in many ways. To truly appreciate the benefits of pasture-raised chicken, it’s important to first understand what confinement farming entails.
Challenges associated with confinement farming
Poor diet
Keeping chickens in confinement is a common practice in modern poultry farming. However, this restricted environment affects the nutritional composition of their diet. The primary diet of confined chickens consists of grains, with corn being the predominant feed. While grains provide essential nutrients, such as omega-6 fatty acids, they lack sufficient omega-3 fatty acids. Additionally, the confinement of these chickens deprives them of access to green plants, insects, and small animals, which further limits their nutritional intake.
Antibiotic use
The bigger problem, however, is associated with the increased prevalence of disease, leading to a greater reliance on antibiotics. The continuous and widespread use of antibiotics in confined chicken farming contributes to the development of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. In fact, a study confirmed that strains of bacteria isolated from free-range birds showed sensitivity to the commonly used antibiotics such as Tetracycline, Streptomycin, and Sulphonamide, yet strains of bacteria isolated from confinement farming were resistant to these drugs. When humans are infected with these resistant bacteria, it becomes increasingly difficult to treat the infections effectively, potentially leading to more severe illnesses and complications.
Ammonia accumulation in confinement poultry operations
Ammonia accumulation in confinement poultry operations poses another concern for the welfare of chickens, especially as they reach market size. Ammonia, which results from the decomposition of urine and feces, becomes concentrated in the confined spaces where chickens are housed. This build-up of ammonia can reach alarming levels, with concentrations as high as 50 parts per million.
When chickens are exposed to ammonia-polluted environments, even at relatively low concentrations such as 25 parts per million, they exhibit distressing behavior patterns. Exposure to high levels of ammonia can lead to several issues for chickens. It can irritate their respiratory systems, causing respiratory distress and discomfort. Chickens may experience difficulty breathing, coughing, and wheezing. The stress from constant exposure to ammonia can also weaken their immune systems, making them more susceptible to diseases and infections.
The constant lighting
In the commercial poultry industry, the majority of broilers are raised indoors in crowded sheds where artificial lighting is provided for up to 23 hours a day. This prolonged exposure to constant light serves the purpose of accelerating their growth, allowing them to reach the market a few days earlier. However, this practice of unnatural lighting has unintended consequences for the health and well-being of the chickens.
One significant issue associated with constant lighting is its detrimental effect on the chickens’ immune system. Research has shown that continuous exposure to artificial light suppresses the production of melatonin, a hormone that plays a crucial role in boosting immune function. Melatonin helps regulate various physiological processes, including the immune response, and its suppression can have adverse effects on the chickens’ ability to fight off diseases.
Lack of exercise
Chickens kept in confined conditions also face severe restrictions on their movement and ability to engage in natural behaviors and weight-bearing exercise. The weight-bearing exercise exerts forces on bones, stimulates bone cell activities, and increases bone density. The lack of weight-bearing exercise in confined environments significantly increases the susceptibility of chickens to bone fracture and other skeletal complications.
Benefits associated with pasture-raised chicken
Balanced diet
Pastured chickens, on the other hand, get to enjoy a diverse diet consisting of forages, insects, and small animals.
Forages, including pasture vegetation and grasses, are rich sources of beneficial omega-3 fats and other nutrients. Due to the way poultry digest their food, the beneficial fat and nutrients in the pasture are absorbed relatively unchanged. That means chickens can acquire the full nutritional benefits of the pasture, including vitamins, minerals, and other essential nutrients.
Another significant advantage of pasture-raised poultry is their access to insects. Insects are a crucial source of nutrients for birds worldwide. They offer approximately four times more usable protein and energy for chickens compared to traditional poultry feed rations (Bassler, 2005). The abundance of insects in the pasture provides chickens with an additional source of high-quality nutrition, contributing to their overall health and well-being.
Reduced dependence on artificial supplements
The rich and varied diet of pasture-raised chickens, in turn, significantly reduces their reliance on synthetic supplements and additives. The nutrients present in the forage and insects are readily absorbed by the chickens, eliminating the necessity for artificial fortification. This natural approach to nutrition not only benefits the chickens but also aligns with sustainable and organic farming practices, reducing the environmental impact of intensive farming systems.
More sunshine
In addition to a natural diet and ample space to roam, pasture-raised chickens also benefit from the added advantage of sunlight.
Sunlight exposure allows chickens to naturally synthesize vitamin D, a crucial nutrient for calcium absorption and skeletal development. Sunshine also provides mental and behavioral stimulation, encouraging natural behaviors that contribute to their overall health. Chickens exposed to sunlight are more inclined to engage in dust bathing and preening, which help keep their feathers clean and healthy. Natural exposure to daylight and darkness also plays a crucial role in maintaining a proper sleep-wake cycle, hormone regulation, and overall homeostasis in chickens.
Exercise
In addition, meat birds that live most or all of their lives outside on pasture exercise more than birds do in confinement. They are able to express their natural behaviors such as foraging, running, jumping and pecking. And they get plenty space to engage in weight-bearing exercises, which likely contribute to muscle development and results in higher protein and collagen content.
More nutritious meat
Most astonishingly, compared to conventionally-raised poultry meat, pasture-raised chicken boasts up to 2.3 times more omega-3 fats, 3 times more long-chain omega-3s, 90% lower omega-6:omega-3 ratio, 1.9x higher poly-unsaturated: saturated fats, 6% higher protein, 15% more collagen, and 1.3x more vitamin E.
Undeniably, choosing pasture-raised chicken over conventionally-raised options is a decision that goes beyond taste and convenience. By prioritizing the quality of chicken and selecting pasture-raised options, people are unlocking a world of enhanced flavor and exceptional nutrition.
LOOKING FOR THE GLOBAL ANIMAL PARTNERSHIP (GAP) CERTIFICATE
While the term “pasture-raised” implies that the chickens had access to pasture, there is no standardized requirement for their diet, and on-farm inspections may not be mandatory to verify these claims. To ensure that people are indeed purchasing high-quality, humanely-raised chicken, it’s crucial to seek out third-party verified labels such as the Global Animal Partnership (GAP) Chicken Welfare Program.
The Global Animal Partnership (GAP) certification serves as a reliable guide for consumers to seek chicken products that prioritize animal welfare. It establishes five levels of excellence, each encompassing specific criteria that elevate the welfare standards for chickens.
The five levels are:
- No cages, no crates, no crowding. Chickens live in a stationary housing structure, are provided space to express natural behavior, and are given access to added enrichments.
- Everything in level 1 plus an enriched environment. Chickens live in an indoor environment with at least two different types of added enrichments as well as natural light.
- Everything in levels 1 and 2 plus outdoor access. Chickens have seasonal outdoor access, more space requirements (in and out), and outdoor shade and enrichments.
- Everything in levels 1, 2, and 3 plus pasture-centered. Chickens have year-round outdoor access with a minimum of 108 sq. ft per bird and the opportunity to forage for food.
- Everything in levels 1-4 plus animal-centered. The highest level of certification, this level requires all previous criteria plus additional standards for environmental enrichments, lighting, and other animal welfare practices.
By looking for chicken products with higher GAP levels, consumers can make informed choices and support animal welfare practices.
LOOKING FOR AIR-CHILLED CHICKEN
This might be a minor consideration for some, but chlorine spray has long been used as a means to sanitize chicken during processing. While it may serve its purpose, there are concerns about chemical residues left behind. Or people can go for water-chilled chicken. Water chilling is another commonly employed method to submerge chicken in ice-cold communal water that can sanitize chicken with one or more acidic compounds. The downside, though, is that it can lead to water absorption by chicken, resulting in diluted meat quality and flavor.
Air-chilling is an alternative chicken processing method. As chickens make their way through the processing line, they pass through several chambers filled with cold, purified air. Each chamber plays a vital role in the chicken’s transformation into a premium product. This meticulous approach preserves the integrity of the meat without concerns over chemical exposures and water dilution.
Therefore, when options are available, choose excellence by selecting air-chilled chicken.