Chickens are not given steroids or hormones in the United States

A great cookbook that I love (Samin Nosrat's Good Things) suggests using organic & pasture-raised chicken: I recommend choosing an organic—and preferably pasture-raised—chicken. It might be a little hard to source (and certainly more expensive), but to quote Laurie Colwin, "Not only is it tastier ... but you also do not have to worry about feeding anabolic steroids to friends and loved ones," or eating them yourself for that matter. I have no issue with folks advocating for the usage of organic and/or pasture-raised for legitimate reasons (wanting farm laborers to not be exposed to Roundup and for chickens to get outdoor time both seem very reasonable!). But in the MAHA era where food misinformation abounds, you should know: Steroid hormones are not legal in any meat product besides cattle in the United States Steroid hormones are not legal in dairy cows in the United States The usage of hormones in beef has been extensively tested and does not pose a threat to humans. Seed oils are not bad for you (and are generally better for you then alternative animal fats containing higher levels of saturated fat) There is scientific consensus that GMO-containing foods are no less healthy than their GMO-free counterparts That said, there are reasonable property-right objections to GMOs (prohibiting the saving of seed by farmers, for example) It's a shame that even in published cookbooks we find this kind of misinformation all the time. Follow your food health safety guidance from scientists and medical professionals (and treat any new guidance from the current FDA/USDA with skepticism considering its current leadership). Sources: https://www.fda.gov/animal-veterinary/product-safety-information/steroid-hormone-implants-used-growth-food-producing-animals (last updated in 2024) https://extension.msstate.edu/publications/chickens-do-not-receive-growth-hormones-so-why-all-the-confusion https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.3109/07388551.2013.823595 https://hsph.harvard.edu/news/scientists-debunk-seed-oil-health-risks/ https://www.cancer.columbia.edu/news/does-new-food-pyramid-match-what-we-know-about-cancer-prevention submitted by /u/dacheatbot [link] [comments]