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.
The definition of the term free range differs depending on where you live. If you live outside of the United States, free range refers to animals being allowed to roam wherever they want without being caged up for any period of time. A free range chicken has access to the outdoors, the green grass, and the shining sun whenever he wants. Now if you live within the United States, free range has a different meaning. It refers only to poultry. Free range chicken, ducks, and turkeys have access to the outside. It does not specify the amount of time the animal can be outside or what the size of the outside is. So if a free range animal does not decide to move outside it stays in the often tiny, cramped cage.
Free range was typical until farmers started utilizing barbed and chicken wire. Before the twentieth century, all people knew about raising animals was to provide them with a varied diet and sunshine. Those who raised cattle found it difficult to keep them all in one place and carry large heavy bags of feed to them, so they kept them on their land. Free range chickens lived that way until about 1920. In 1920 came the discovery of Vitamin A and Vitamin D. Due to this, free range chicken farmers realized that they could market their animals at a commercial level by successfully using confinement. Once chickens were successfully confined, other livestock owners followed suit.
There is still a great debate going on as to whether eating free range products are better for us. There are those that believe eating free range meats and chickens offer a number of health benefits. For example, eating confined products increases our chances of getting a disease from the chicken or meat we are eating. Simply because free range chickens and cows have a lower likelihood of getting sick or contracting a disease than those that are kept in close proximity to one another all the time. Another example is the fact that free range animals consume a larger amount of vitamins that they get from the grass and the insects they consume. This would make the cow or chicken very good for us then. Confined animals do not have the access to these nutrient rich food sources. Confined or caged animals are only given enough food to keep them alive. In most cases this also includes continual doses of antibiotics to keep the animal disease free. We then consume that animal that is loaded with antibiotics, which is not good for us. Free range animals do not get these doses of antibiotics, they only get the things that are needed to help them thrive and stay healthy. The lack of antibiotics would be another reason to eat free range products.
When deciding whether or not to take a certain avenue when it involves your health it should be researched thoroughly first. Just in the way this provides information on free range chickens and other free range animals, you can find pertinent information on almost every health subject. If you are well informed about something you can put it into effect easily and it is more than likely to be successful.
Sabung Ayam
27th Annual International Cuisine Dinner and Auction
Featuring international foods presented by the region's finest restaurants and chefs. 5 p.m. Cash Bar, Appetizers and Silent Auction 6:30 p.m. Entrees 7:30 p.m. Program, Live Auction and Desserts Participating restaurants include: Bean’s Country Store Ben & Jerry’s Chez Pierre CornerStone Pizza Cafe Deliciously Different Specialty Items Dickinson’s Delights Dizzy Chicken Wood Fired Rotisserie Dunham's Bay Resort East End Eatery Jack's American Bistro Johnny Rockets La Cosina Mexicana Lake George Baking Company Lake George Olive Oil Mario's Restaurant Mikado Monahan Chase Caterers Morgan & Co. Park 26 Samantha’s Café and Catering Superior Cantina Tandoori Grill Thai Sushi Aroy Dee Willows Bistro A benefit for WACM's exhibitions, collections and educational programs. $50 of the reservation price is tax deductible. Thank you to the generous support of our sponsors:
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SABUNG AYAM