Hospitals

Wow of the week: Medical researchers do chicken nugget autopsy

If you have always wondered why chicken nuggets are tasty but only vaguely like chicken, some medical researchers have cracked the secret and,odds are you won’t like it. I’m guessing you’ll at least cringe. A study published in American Journal of Medicine revealed that at least some chicken nuggets sourced from a couple of  fast […]

If you have always wondered why chicken nuggets are tasty but only vaguely like chicken, some medical researchers have cracked the secret and,odds are you won’t like it. I’m guessing you’ll at least cringe.

A study published in American Journal of Medicine revealed that at least some chicken nuggets sourced from a couple of  fast food chains in Florida contain 50 percent or less meat. The rest is fat, blood vessels and nerves that line the skin and internal organs of the chicken. The second nugget only contained 40 percent muscle — the rest was fat, cartilage and pieces of bone.

Dr. Richard D. deShazo of the University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson, told Reuters:

“What has happened is that some companies have chosen to use an artificial mixture of chicken parts rather than low-fat chicken white meat, batter it up and fry it and still call it chicken….It is really a chicken by-product high in calories, salt, sugar and fat that is a very unhealthy choice. Even worse, it tastes great and kids love it and it is marketed to them.”

The study is worth noting since it underlines the need for transparency in food processing and goes some way towards explaining some of foods that are contributing to the world obesity epidemic. Obesity is a significant risk factor for diabetes, and other chronic conditions that contribute to increased healthcare costs.

 [Photo Credit: rodale.com]