Benefits Of Free Range Chicken

Today more people are making the choice to eat healthy. Healthy eating can encompass a number of things from eating more fresh vegetables and fruits to making a commitment to not eat animal products or anything in between. Along with healthy eating, another term has become very popular “free range.” Today you can find a number of free range products including eggs, meats and chicken. The latter of the three has become very popular lately. What exactly is free range? Are there benefits to eating free range? Where did free range start? Here you will find the answer to these questions so that you can make an informed decision on eating free range products.

First and foremost, you need to know what free range means, and that will vary depending on where you live. If do not live in the United States then free range applies to animals that are allowed to roam where ever they want and these animals are never caged. Free range animals have complete access to green grass, sunshine and the outdoors. If you live in the US then free range means something alittle different. First, only chickens, ducks and turkeys are allowed to be free range. The United States doesn’t define though how long these animals can be outside or should be outside nor do they define the size of “outside.” Meaning is a chicken wants to sit in its small cage all day… than it will.

Free range farming used to be the way farmers raised their animals until they started using chicken wire or barbed wire. Prior to the 20th century, all farmers knew about raising animals was to make sure they had a varied diet and plenty of sunshine. Ranchers that raised cattle found it difficult to keep the cattle in one place and provide feed to them, so they kept them on their ranch. Chickens were all free range chickens until 1920. When Vitamin D and Vitamin A were discovered in 1920, farmers realized that they could market their chickens commercially if they were confined. It was the confining of the chickens that lead to confinement of most other farm animals.

Today there is still a debate over whether or not eating free range products truly offers any health benefits. There are a number of very valid points that support that argument that free range is better for us. One such reason is the fact that animals that are confined tend to have a higher incidence of disease and illness. Free range animals do not have this risk because they are not kept in small confined spaces in close proximity to one another. Free range animals also have access to more sources that are nutrient dense such as grass and bugs. This makes free range animals better for us because they are packed with vitamins and minerals. Whereas confined animals do not have access to the green grass or as many bugs, they are also only given enough food to survive. Confined animals’ food is often loaded with high doses of antibiotics. The purpose of the antibiotics is to keep the animal disease free. You then eat these animals. Eating animals that are loaded with antibiotics is bad for your health.

It is important that you take the time to do the research to determine if eating free range products is best for you. Here you found relevant information on free range animals; you can also find pertinent information on just about every other health subject. Remember the more informed decision you make the more likely you are to stick with it.

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