In a paper published online for the American Journal of Medicine, it's been discovered that chicken nuggets aren't exactly what they're portrayed to be -- namely, chicken.
See Also: The Chicken Nugget Bonanza You Never Asked For
Titled "The Autopsy of Chicken Nuggets Reads 'Chicken Little,'" Dr. Richard D. deShazo of the University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson bought chicken nuggets from "two different national fast food chains" and then stuck them under a microscope. While we're thinking that some questions just shouldn't be asked, Dr. deShazo brazenly looked into the abyss.
He found that "striated muscle (chicken meat) was not the predominate component in either nugget. Fat was present in equal or greater quantities along with epithelium, bone, nerve, and connective tissue."
The National Chicken Council is crying foul, saying that two nuggets aren't a large enough sample group.
"What has happened is that some companies have chosen to use an artificial mixture of chicken parts rather than low-fat chicken white meat, batter it up and fry it and still call it chicken," Dr. deShazo explained to Rueters.
"It is really a chicken by-product high in calories, salt, sugar and fat that is a very unhealthy choice. Even worse, it tastes great and kids love it and it is marketed to them."
Tastes great? Did he actually eat any?
