Why we don’t recommend eating chickens

By Dr Shireen Kassam, Founder and Director, Plant-Based Health Professionals UK

Globally, we slaughter more than 200 million chickens every day for food, yet we know that eating beans would be better for our health, the planet, and of course, the chickens.

Although meat consumption is falling in the UK, mainly due to eating less red meat (meat from mammals), intake of white meat, especially chicken, has increased. We have been led to believe that chickens are a healthy source of protein. While it may be a better choice than red meat, that does not mean its consumption is beneficial. In fact, a wealth of nutrition science demonstrates that we can make healthier choices.

Health Impact of Eating Chickens

One of the main reasons people believe eating chickens is a healthy choice is because it’s lower in saturated fat than red meat. Saturated fat raises blood cholesterol levels, a major risk factor for heart disease. However, the difference in saturated fat content is not as large as many think – it depends on the cut of meat and how it’s prepared. When this theory has been tested, both white and red meat have been shown to raise blood cholesterol levels to a similar extent. Choosing plant sources of protein instead – such as beans, lentils, nuts and soya foods – has the opposite effect, helping to lower cholesterol and support heart health. Vegans, who consume no animal foods at all, have the lowest cholesterol levels of any dietary pattern, and removing meat from the diet can be as effective as some medications for lowering cholesterol levels.

Similarly, studies have shown that eating chickens can lead to elevated blood pressure, increasing the risk of  heart attacks, stroke and kidney failure. It can also increase the risk of type 2 diabetes, in part due to excess weight gain. Importantly, swapping chicken for plant sources of protein can significantly reduce the risk of chronic illnesses, including heart disease, type 2 diabetes, fatty liver disease, kidney failure, and the risk of premature death. Although red meat is most commonly linked with cancer risk, studies have also found that chicken consumption is associated with an increased risk of lymphoma, a cancer of the lymphatic system. In contrast, people who exclude meat entirely from the diet have a significantly lower overall risk of cancer.

Environmental Consequences of Eating Chickens

The broader consequences to human and planetary health of chicken consumption cannot be ignored. We are in the midst of a climate and ecological crisis. Farmed birds, mostly chickens, account for 70% of all birds on Earth. Most chickens farmed for food are raised in intensive farming operations, or factory farms. In these facilities, millions of birds are crammed into tiny spaces, unable to express their natural behaviours. Instead, they show signs of distress while living in highly unsanitary conditions.

Chickens produce millions of tons of faeces every year in the UK alone. This poisons nearby soil and surface waters. Rich in nitrogen and phosphorus, this waste is used by farmers as fertiliser for crops. However, it frequently runs off into surrounding rivers causing rapid growth of algae, which starves the river of oxygen and kills much of the river life.

Worse still, chicken faeces reaching the rivers have pathogens, such as E.coli, many of which are now resistant to commonly used antibiotics due to their widespread use in animal farming. As a result, many of our rivers have become unsafe for swimming, contaminated by animal faeces and other farm waste.

Although farming chickens for food emits significantly fewer greenhouse gases (GHG) than farming mammals, all plant sources of protein produce far lower emissions, regardless of how they’re grown or how far they’ve travelled. Plant-based proteins also offer major benefits in terms of land use and preventing deforestation.

Currently, 40% of agricultural land in the UK is used to grow food for farm animals, with around half of all wheat going to feed chickens and pigs. In addition, large quantities of soya are imported from overseas, including from areas of the Amazon rainforest that continue to be cleared for this purpose. This is a hugely inefficient and wasteful way of producing food. Shifting to plant-based sources of protein could free up 75% of farmland – land that could instead be used to grow food directly for people. This would contribute to food sovereignty and security,  help restore nature, and support carbon storage.

The Threat of Antibiotic Resistance

Focusing more closely on antibiotic-resistant infections: in 2021, 1.14 million deaths globally were directly attributed to antibiotic-resistant infections, and forecasts suggest this could rise to nearly 2 million deaths annually by 2050. A major driver is the widespread use of antibiotics in animal agriculture, including chicken farming. Globally over 70% of all antibiotics produced are used in animal farming. Chicken farming is one of the fastest-growing sectors and a major source of multi-drug resistant bacteria. A key part of the solution is to dramatically reduce our consumption of animal products, switching instead to healthier plant sources of protein.

Preventing Future Pandemics

With the memory of  COVID-19 still fresh in our minds, preventing the next pandemic is crucial. Unless we confront the reality that three out of four new and emerging infectious diseases originate from farming animals and destroying their habitats, we will not be able to return to ‘normal life’.

Intensive poultry farming continues to generate new strains of influenza with the potential to infect humans. In recent years, there have been dozens of outbreaks of bird flu in UK farm birds, leading to the killing of millions of birds to prevent spread of the virus. Globally, human infections have already occurred –  and while human-to-human transmission hasn’t yet been confirmed, it remains a real threat. In the US, H5N1 bird flu has infected dairy cows, with evidence of transmission to humans. In the UK, there is evidence of transmission to sheep. It is only a matter of time before H5N1 bird flu acquires the ability to spread between humans.

Animal Welfare and Chicken Farming

We must not forget the harm we inflict on other sentient beings. Around 70 billion chickens are killed for food each year, most of them raised in factory farms. These chickens live, on average, just 42 days before slaughter – a stark contrast to their natural lifespan of several years.

Through selective breeding, we have genetically manipulated them to grow unnaturally fast with disproportionately large breasts, resulting in bodies too heavy for their legs to support. This causes immense suffering.

There has been public outcry over companies failing to uphold their promise to stop using so-called ‘Frankenchickens’ – these fast-growing breeds. But the most effective way to end this cruelty is to reduce demand. If we stop buying and eating, we can help put an end to the horror we impose on chickens.

Transitioning to a Healthier and More Sustainable Dietary Pattern

As a caring society, we should be striving to report the science honestly and support one  another in making informed, compassionate choices. When it comes to diet, swapping chicken for chickpeas and other plant sources of protein is not only better for our health, but also for the planet and the animals we share it with.

To help you make this transition, we’ve created a range of free resources. Explore our Plant-Based Eatwell Guide, join our 21-Day Plant-Based Health Challenge, and tune into our podcast In a Nutshell. For more on this topic, Listen to our short ‘nugget’ episode specifically discussing chicken consumption.