Chickens Shouldn't Have Bigger Breasts than Me...

I'm a fairly busty gal. I have meat on the ol' bones. It shocks and scares me to see chicken breasts in the store that rival that of any large breasted female. I mean we're talking chicken here. A bird. I once had one chicken breast that was large enough to feed three people. ONE chicken breast. An average serving of protein for an adult should be the size of the palm of the hand. So why are these chicken breasts so large? (Feel free to insert innapropriate boob jokes here...)

Is this a question of organic vs. regular raising of chickens?

Let me paint a picture of a chicken farm for you: A wide open field of green grass, chickens roaming freely, pecking at bugs and grains on the ground, the warm sun shining. Ahh, a lovely farm.

Now let me paint a real picture of a  factory chicken farm: A small, dark shed with no windows and one door. Thousands of chickens piled on top of eachother pecking at anything that could be food, including eachother. Eating foods that may contain, gasp...chicken. So much disease in the small room that the chickens must be pumped with antibotics and over fed to plump them faster. The fatter the chicken, the sooner they can be slaughtered and make the farmer $$$.

Now organic guidelines state that chickens must be able to roam outdoors, and be fed an organic and hormone free diet.

Quote from http://www.livestrong.com/

"In a 2009 study, "Consumer Reports" found pathogens on both organic and conventional raw chicken, but the cleanest overall were organic air-chilled broilers. About 50 percent of organic brands tested positive for campylobacter, and 16 percent tested positive for salmonella. None of the organic store brands tested had salmonella bacteria. Nonorganic Perdue brand chicken tested very well, with 56 percent clean of pathogens, but only 17 percent of Tyson brand chickens were found to be free of bacteria. Foster Farms was also only 16 percent free of bacteria, and 30 percent of store brand conventional chickens tested were pathogen-free. No matter what kind of chicken you buy, keeping it well-wrapped and chilled and cooking it to 165 degrees Fahrenheit can help rid your poultry of bacteria that can make you sick."

Source: http://www.livestrong.com/article/153250-what-is-the-difference-between-eating-organic-chicken-regular-chicken/#ixzz1dQ9bo2wo

If the packaging on the chicken says organic, yes you may rest a bit easier eating the chicken. However, if you are putting protiens in you and your childrens body, the safest bet is to buy from a local farmer, one of whom you can view their farm and see the way their chickens are being treated. But basically use common sense when you put things in your body. If a chicken breast is larger than your own, do you feel it is natural? Imagine the size of that chicken. Is that normal? Be aware of the foods you eat and how they affect you.

For more information watch the film, Food Inc and visit their website: http://www.foodincmovie.com/

Photo from the film: Food Inc