Are you looking for a “hormone-free” turkey this
Thanksgiving?
I hope not…..because all turkeys and other forms of poultry
are hormone-free here in the USA.
Many people don’t realize that the labeling of “hormone-free” in poultry is a marketing
tactic so that you purchase a product which you believe is more natural (and is usually more expensive).
I’ve
had many male patients concerned that their breasts were growing due to "hormones in the chicken they eat." This is very unlikely since the FDA prohibits use of steroid
hormones for growth in poultry and pigs.
Since the 1950s, the FDA has approved
steroid hormones for use in beef cattle and sheep only. These steroid hormones
include estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, and their synthetic versions.
All meats that are labeled as “hormone-free”, “no hormones
added”, or “raised without use of hormones” must be followed by a statement
which says “federal regulations do not permit the use of hormones in poultry.”
Check it out below:
So the next time you are shopping for poultry that's hormone-free...save yourself some money. Share this information with your friends and family to help dispell marketing myths!
Feel free to email questions and comments to DoctorDeenaMD@gmail.com. Happy Thanksgiving everyone!
