If you are looking for a healthier option, grass-fed chicken is a perfect choice.
So what makes this type of chicken more special and considered healthier, and where you can buy grass-fed chicken? You will find the answers to all these questions in this article.
Now, let’s check it out!
What is grass-fed chicken?
Grass-fed chicken is chicken meat produced from chickens that are raised with a special diet.
It doesn’t mean that grass-fed chickens only eat grass, their natural diets are mostly grass, but also contain other weeds, vegetables, bugs, insects, and berries in the wild.
Grass-fed chickens can be raised indoors, but mostly, they are free to pasture and have more space for daily activities.
This type of lifestyle produces healthier meat that has higher levels of omega-3s, beta-carotene, vitamin E, selenium, and other nutrients compared to regular grain-based feeding methods.
Grass-fed chicken also tastes better because it doesn’t have an artificial taste like most grain-fed meats do.
How many calories are in grass-fed chicken?
Grass-fed chicken is lower in fat, which results in a lower number of calories than factory-farmed chicken.
However, the calories of grass-fed chicken also vary from cut to cut.
For example, grass-fed chicken breast is leaner and then delivers fewer calories than the chicken thigh, or the skin-on version will be fattier and offer more calories than the skinless counterpart of the same cut.
In general, a serving size of 100 grams of grass-fed chicken breast (3.5 ounces) will provide us with 150 calories compared to about 175 calories of conventionally raised chicken.
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Grass-fed chicken is also packed with more potential health benefits, such as vitamin D, beta carotene, selenium, and other nutrients that can help fight diseases.
How to choose the best grass-fed chicken?
Grass-fed chicken is healthier and tastes better than its regular counterpart, therefore, it usually costs you more.
Therefore, you should keep your eyes on the chicken to choose the best grass-fed chicken and to not waste your money.
1. Buy grass-fed chicken from a reliable source
The key factor is to make sure you buy grass-fed chicken from a reliable source.
It is quite hard to differentiate regular chicken that is labeled “grass-fed” by immoral sellers or real grass-fed chicken.
Therefore, do some research or ask other consumers to find a reputable store that offers grass-fed chicken.
2. Choose between white meat (breast) and dark meat (thighs) based on personal preference
The grass-fed chicken comes in different cuts.
You can buy the entire chicken or just one cut like breast or thigh.
White meat is healthier but is not likely to be flavorful as dark meat.
This comes as your personal preference to opt for your favorite cut of grass-fed chicken.
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3. Check for labels that indicate what type of feed was used and how the chicken was raised
For the pickiest person, you can read all the information printed on the package of grass-fed chicken.
There might be some chickens that are fed with a combined diet of grass and grain, which will affect the price of the chicken and how it tastes.
You can find all the necessary information about the origin of the chicken on the label, or ask the seller for more useful facts.
4. Look for air-chilled grass-fed chicken that has a thin layer of skin without any discoloration
It is best to buy air-chilled chicken because this method helps keep your chicken fresh and reduces the water content.
A thin layer of skin means the chicken is less fatty and you can achieve crispy skin when baking or frying it.
Where to buy grass-fed chicken?
Today, the high demand for grass-fed chicken makes it widely sold on the market.
Look at the following suggestions from us and you will know where you should go to look for grass-fed chicken.
1. Local butcher or farmer’s market
These are the best places to buy authentic grass-fed chicken.
Go and buy it directly from the farmer, you will really be on a hunt.
They usually don’t offer large quantities of grass-fed or any kind of organic meat, including chicken, so it will be great if you can call them ahead to ask them to save some cuts of grass-fed chicken for you.
2. Grocery store or supermarket
There are some natural stores and large chain supermarkets in the country offering grass-fed chicken.
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You can look for it in Walmart or Whole Foods Market, which carries high-standard products.
3. Online
If you don’t have time to purchase grass-fed chicken at a store, you can buy it from the website of an organic meat store or supermarket.
Remember to read all the online reviews from other consumers before making an online purchase.
Conclusion
Grass-fed chicken is a healthier option for those who are looking to eat more natural food.
The good news is grass-fed chicken can be purchased at many organic meat stores or local farmer’s markets around you.
If these places are too far from your house and you don’t have time for shopping in a store, try looking for grass-fed chicken from online retailers so that you will have the best package of pastured chicken in your front door without leaving home.
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