Have some Chicken with that Salt?

I was recently reading my fiance's cooking magazine to find some new recipes for us.  When I ran across an article about chicken.  Yup the boneless skinless chicken that for the last several years we have been taught to eat because it is healthier. 

"About one-third of the fresh chicken found in super market meat cases has been synthetically saturated with a mix of water, salt, and other additives via needle injections and high-pressure vacum tumbling."

This is done so the chicken we eat is juicier.  Without adding any seasoning of your own at home, when you eat a breast of chicken it could have up to 20% of your daily sodium limit.  Adding the salt water mixture to the chicken also adds weight.  Which means you could be paying an extra 45-90 cents (based on $2.99-4.99 a lb) per pound for the added salt water mixture.

The best way to find out what kind of chicken you are buying is to read the labels.  In very fine print on the front of the package you'll find what's been added.

• Contains 1 to 5% water - This chicken is not enhanced and better for you.
• Contains up to 15% chicken broth or sodium water - This chicken has been enhanced and will be more salt for your buck.

After reading about what could be added to my chicken and learning where to look for the labeling I headed out to the store to look at chicken.  I almost did a "happy dance" right there in the store when I read the label and found out the chicken I buy for my family is not the super salty kind!

~Your Earthy Mom Trish