What’s in your chicken sandwich? DNA test shows Subway sandwiches contain just 50% chicken

What's in your chicken sandwich? DNA test shows Subway sandwiches contain just 50% chicken

What are you eating? Do you really have any idea what you are buying when you whip into a fast food restaurant?

CBC’s Marketplace recently had chicken from 5 fast food restaurants DNA tested to see what is actually in their chicken.

If you can believe it, DNA tests on Subway’s Oven Roasted Chicken show that just 53.6 per cent was chicken! The majority of the remaining DNA was soy.

Two major red flags are waving here.

1. What else is the company hiding in their products?
2. What if someone was allergic to soy and unknowingly eating it in a piece of chicken?! Additionally, regular consumption of soy can wreak havoc on the hormonal system.

Subway states that “Our recipe calls for one per cent or less of soy protein in our chicken products.” This is still quite concerning for those of us who like to know what we are actually consuming.

• A&W Chicken Grill Deluxe averaged 89.4 per cent chicken DNA
• McDonald’s Country Chicken – Grilled averaged 84.9 per cent chicken DNA
• Tim Hortons Chipotle Chicken Grilled Wrap averaged 86.5 per cent chicken DNA
Wendy’s Grilled Chicken Sandwich averaged 88.5 per cent chicken DNA

Each restaurant’s chicken actually averaged approximately 15 ingredients per piece of chicken.

How is this even possible? Isn’t chicken supposed to be just chicken?

These restaurant chains are actually serving meat that has been “restructured”.

Restructured products are smaller pieces of meat or ground meat that are bound together with other ingredients to make them last longer, taste better and ‘add value’ – i.e. – to make them cheaper.

The ingredients can include simple items like salt, honey or onion powder, as well as shocking industrial ingredients. They most likely also contain transglutaminase, which is meat glue. Yes – glue to hold together scraps of meat to bind them into a new form for consumption.

What is the Solution?

Plan ahead and bring your own food when you’re on the road, or when you go to work. It’s much cheaper to eat food that you prepare yourself, and you will also have a better idea as to what you are eating! Here is a quick recipe to make your own delicious chicken wrap that is actually 100% chicken, instead of just half!!

RECIPE: Savoury 100% Chicken Wrap – Great for Lunches

Slice 3 organic chicken breasts into strips and bake or fry ahead of time. (this will make several lunches for a few days for yourself or a day of lunches for your family)

Grab a whole wheat wrap and spread hummus onto it.
Place a large lettuce leaf in the middle.
Add sliced tomato, cucumber and onions.
Add your chicken slices.
Sprinkle with pepper and wrap it up!
Hold it together with a tooth pick and you’re out the door!

Whenever possible, avoid fast food by planning ahead and bringing your own food. Take control of your health and empower yourself by being proactive about your meal choices!

With Sources from:

http://www.ctvnews.ca/sci-tech/meat-glue-an-ingredient-to-fear-or-cheer-1.855985

http://www.cbc.ca/news/business/marketplace-chicken-fast-food-1.3993967

I’m Single. Why Does Valentine’s Day Matter?

Valentine's Day

It doesn’t matter if you are attached or single on Valentine’s Day! The message that should be portrayed goes much deeper than getting chocolates from a secret admirer.

Sadly, the confectionary and stationery companies have gotten ahold of this once-sacred holiday and turned it into another opportunity for consumption.

If you are able to look past spending money on teddy bears, chocolates, flowers and lace, you will begin to see that there is a beautiful side to the now-commercialized holiday.

The message that shines through from the deeper side of this holiday is the importance of taking a moment to appreciate love, the wonderful people in our lives and to take a minute to shower each other with gratitude.

In present day, that gratitude can equate to purchases, but at the roots of the holiday, the message is love and appreciation.

However, the most important aspect of the love and appreciation we share on this day can sometimes be forgotten.

Self Love!!

What are you doing today to celebrate your SELF?? Your incredible value, your consciousness, your health and your life? Often, it’s too easy to forget about our selves and care for everyone else, showering them with all of our love, kindness, support and help, and we forget to leave some for ourselves!!

It is very difficult to fill someone else’s cup if yours is empty.

This week, in honour of Saint Valentine, spend some time with yourself, working on your self care, and noticing how you feel.

Spend time doing things that you love to do, take a time out and close the door. Remember back to less stressful times, or maybe when you actually had TIME! and think of things you used to love to do. If you have a hobby that you haven’t picked up in awhile, return to it and experience the joy of doing things you want to do, rather than things you have to do!

Maybe your self care is making time to have a luxurious bath without your children banging the door down. Ask for support when you need it – and have someone help you out so that you can take a bit of time for yourself.

Or maybe you love yoga and rarely get the chance to go to a class. If you have responsibilities at home that make it difficult to go to a class, bring one to you!! There are many amazing yoga classes on YouTube that you can do right at home. Look for an online teacher that is at your speed and make time to enjoy this practice. Get lost in your breath and breathe joy and love back into your life.

Whatever you choose to do to create space for some self care, it’s also important to focus on self love. Develop a mantra that you can say to yourself every day that makes you feel important, appreciated, beautiful, loved, healthy and supported. It is so important to develop a deep love for yourself and treat yourself how you treat your best friend – with kind, supportive words and overflowing love and kindness.