Health and Lifestyle

Is It Wise to Eat Chicken Daily?

Dr. Veena Madhankumar

Jul 27, 2021 — 3 min read

Are you a chicken lover? Or do you eat chicken daily for a healthy body or to build some muscle? You would have preferred chicken because it is cost-effective compared to red meat. It is tasty and rich in protein. But have you ever wondered about the ill health effects that it would cause? If not, here are some facts that you definitely need to know about your favorite meat that will make you think twice before you buy or eat it next time. Check them out below.

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1) Unhealthy Body Weight

If you have been consuming commercially raised chickens, it is high time you quit it. These chickens have less muscle and more fat content. Consuming it only leads to weight gain. It might taste good but adding cheese to it or frying the chicken does no good to your health. Also, many studies have found that meat-eaters have increased body mass index (BMI) compared to those on a plant-based diet. A BMI ranging between 19 to 25 is essential to prevent heart diseases, high blood pressure, and many other conditions.

2) High Bad Cholesterol Levels

The risks outweigh the benefits in the case of retail chickens. They contain more fat than protein. Some studies support the fact that consuming such chicken can increase your bad cholesterol levels, that is, LDL (low-density lipoprotein) levels. Increased cholesterol levels in your blood gradually pave the way for heart diseases.

3) Early-Onset Puberty

Retail chickens are bred on a large scale for commercial purposes. They inject high amounts of antibiotics and hormones to these chickens for fast growth, bulkier meat, and prevent infection. This meat is also found to have pesticides and heavy metals. When such chickens are given to your children, they significantly impact your child’s health. It causes early puberty in young girls.

4) Increased Cancer Risk

You read it right. Broiler chickens or commercially bred chickens have high levels of antibiotics, heavy metals like arsenic, and hormones. These are not good for your health. Additionally, the way you prepare it poses a cancer risk. Most of you would like your chicken deep-fried or grilled. Whenever you deep-fry or grill them, the high temperatures cause the release of heterocyclic amines, which are potential cancer-causing compounds. And skipping vegetables and fruits and relying on animal protein adds fuel to the flame.

5) Contamination and Food Poisoning

Most broiler chickens were found to be contaminated with bacteria like Salmonella and Campylobacter species and Escherichia coli. If you remember falling sick frequently, now you know why. This could also be a possibility for your recurrent food poisoning symptoms like stomach pain, diarrhea, vomiting, etc.

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