Pasture raised poultry is not anything new. This is how poultry was raised traditionally before the era of food industrialization . Pasture raised simply denotes an approach that allows the animals to be in contact with nature, exactly where they belong. Providing an environment that mimics natural habitat and regenerates the same environment where animals are raised. This same environment supplies nutrient dense natural food such as insects, worms, bugs high in protein. In addition to immunity and vitamins from a natural salad buffet, which include nutrient dense grasses, legumes and weeds. The crucial time growth on pasture is reflected in the quality of the meat. Animals have succulent darker meat and yellow fat packed with tons of rich nutrients.
10x the CLA (conjugated lanoleic acid)
6x Omega 3 fatty acids
5x Bcarotene, Vitamin E & antioxidants
Half the cholesterol
17 calories less per gram
Conventional vs. Pasture raised
CAFOs (Confined Animal Feeding Operations) is the reality of the majority of animals raised for food nowadays. Any animal raised in confinement will exhibit physiological changes that affect the quality and nutrition profile of meat. Animals are no different than humans, their physiology is extremely similar to that of humans. Just imagine spending 2 months with other people in a New York city subway wagon at peak hour. Of course, you will be provided food, but you will have to defecate and urinate in the same place you are sitting or standing. Inevitably, some of the participants will contract disease either from stress or infection. Now let us go back to chickens, they spend 2 months breathing fecal dust, high levels of methane and ammonia from excrement. Respiratory infections are very common and this is the problem that created the urge to use antibiotics and other substances to promote optimal "health" for animals in confinement. Now we realized that this meat is toxic for humans. It is full of foreign substances that are pro-inflammatory, carcinogenic and overall detrimental to our health. Yes, all meats look great in the supermarket when presented in the refrigerated meat section and taste the same or even better when prepared by a skilled chef, but what are we really putting in our bodies?
Organic poultry for meat
There is very little to add for "organic" poultry. Organic poultry is just the same stressed animals managed with organic feed. All sick animals cannot be withheld from treatment with antibiotics and/or treatment. Organic poultry is almost the same as conventional chicken, but fed organic feed.
POULTRY FOR EGG PRODUCTION
Chicken eggs are commercialized and marketed in different categories also. Eggs are diversified in living conditions and type of feed. Confined birds and limited space birds affect the end result, which is the egg, in the same way as meat chickens.
Eggs are fount in conventional, organic, cage-free, free-range and pasture raised.
Conventional eggs
This are caged animals that their sole purpose in life is to produce eggs without moving much in a single cage for their entire existence. they are fed any type of feed, soy rich, GMO grain, animal byproduct, etc.
Organic eggs
Organic eggs are simply conventional eggs with the modification of the type of feed to organic. animals still undergo stress, as a result eggs are high in cholesterol, high in bad fats, high in pro-inflamatory and cancerigenous substances.
Cage-free eggs
The name says it, cage free is a conventional operation without cages. Same inhumane treatment and problems with the quality of eggs.
image courtesy of survival-gardener.com
Free range eggs
In our opinion, this is the most confusing term to describe egg production. the word "FREE" is very symbolic for most of us. When we see free range eggs and a picture with an open prairie farm, we immediately associated with free happy hens, running around, foraging for food, expose to fresh breeze and days of beautiful sunlight. However, lets analyzed "FREE RANGE EGGS". This is a small step forward towards humane living conditions. its the same as a CAGE-FREE operation, but with a NON-DETERMINED access to the outdoor and the outdoor space is NON-DETERMINED in size or not more that 2 square feet per bird. In this operations some of the birds may not find access and never see light in their entire life.
PASTURE RAISED EGG
When choosing eggs, undoubtedly the best eggs are produced from hens raised on pasture. Hens free to forage, run happily, with access to shelter from weather adversity. Eggs from pasture raised animals posses the same characteristics as pasture raised meats. Highest in CLA, Omega 3 fatty acids, vitamins and antioxidants. Lowest in calories, cholesterol.
"When choosing pasture raised eggs and meat, choose animals that are being supplemented with ORGANIC, NON-GMO, SOY-FREE feed."
