Hormones in Meat & Milk
There is controversy about the meat animal industry because of labels we see at the grocery store.
No hormones are used in raising chicken and pork.
This practice has been illegal since the 1970's and there’s no need for it anyway. Chickens and pigs are bred for great feed efficiency so that they make the most muscle possible with the least amount of feed. At the bottom of the label, where the † leads you, it states “Federal Regulations Prohibit the Use of Hormones or Steroids in Poultry.” You will find the same statement on labels for pork products marked with “no added hormones” or “hormone free” because they are required by law.
Hormones in Cattle
Beef cattle can have hormone implants and dairy cattle can be injected with rBST/rBGH (they’re the same thing). Even when they are though, the numbers comparing how much hormone we can eat in beef versus how much we normally produce show just how little of an effect it could really have on us. The below infographic lets the numbers speak for themselves. Great-value brand milk from Wal-mart is from cows raised without added hormones, but do they make a big deal about it on the label? Nope.
View the whole conversation that was had on Blab here:
Let’s Talk Food is a live show by Lela Perez which provides consumers with a new understanding of their food and the science behind it.
