Buying "natural" chicken can mean paying for broth injections

Willing to pay more for healthier food? Don't bother ponying up extra cash for stuff labeled "natural." The Chicago Tribune reports that you could be buying meat from cows fed animal byproducts, obesity-causing high fructose corn syrup, or chicken made heavier by injections of broth.

While the organic label has some firm standards behind it, "natural" does not. The Food and Drug Administration doesn't even have a formal definition for "natural." The U.S. Department of Agriculture does: "minimally processed" with no artificial flavors or colors, or synthetic ingredients or chemical preservatives. But for animals, these criteria apply only after slaughter.

And even post-slaughter, "natural" chickens can be fattened up with a broth of saltwater or seaweed, because those broths are made with "natural" ingredients. Naturally, the "chicken" would then weigh more -- and cost you more too. The Chicago Tribune has more sneaky and gross details about "natural" products.

There is a silver lining to this story, though: The USDA is considering a voluntary "naturally raised" label, with more specific guidelines about how an animal was raised and what it was fed. Weigh in with your comments about what criteria these guidelines should include. Get your two cents in before Jan. 28, after which the USDA will draft a final rule.

And in the meantime, there's organic meat. I know -- It's expensive, so follow Michael Pollan's eating advice: "Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants."

[h/t meg]

Photo by Jill via Flickr