What’s In Your Turkey?

I was reading an article on how obesity is an epidemic amongst children and teens worldwide because they are unaware of the effects of poor diet.

Whether it’s in North America or in Europe, most experts believe that the misconception of what we eat will not affect our future health is the reason why our children “can’t see beyond the burger box”.

The Herald has recently reported that “most children in Scotland appear oblivious to the impact obesity could have on their lives, with 57% predicting they will live to be over 80 and more than one in 10 believing they will reach 100″, when the real truth is – obesity can contribute to health problems and a shorter lifespan.

In an article for The Advocate, chiropractor Dr. Peter Mays says that if you look around at any group of adult ages 20 years old or older, you will find that 66 out of 100 will be overweight or obese based on national U.S. statistics.

But, is junk food really the only contributor to this problem?

With our human appetite for “bigger, better and faster”, it’s no wonder that GM trucks are not the only items on the block that are being engineered to fit our convenient lifestyles. Take our thanksgiving turkey for instance …..

Image from Wired Science

That’s right folks ….. Science Supersized Your Turkey Dinner!

“The breeding programs of the last half-century are, in some ways, a tremendous scientific accomplishment. For example, the United States pumped out 33 times more pounds of turkey at a lower cost to consumers in 2007 than our farmers did in 1929.” – Wired Science.

These commercial turkeys get so fat because they have a hard time regulating their own food intake. They have problems performing even the basic acts of mating, with breeders preferring artificial insemination instead. They can’t fly and most can’t walk properly due to the added weight.

WOBBLE. WOBBLE. GOES THE TURKEY.

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has some wonderful recipes on how to cook your supersized turkey this Thanksgiving that might be more healthier than your traditional oven cooked variety. Visit their website on how you can smoke, grill, and roast yours!