What's Really Inside Chicken Nuggets?

A study conducted in Mississippi looks at what's really in chicken nuggets. If you think you're actually getting a box of breaded chicken chunks with flavored white or dark meat, think again. FOX News picked up on the results of the study and writes that bits of ground bone, nerve tissue and organ parts are actually rolled into the nugget as well. Fat works its way in there, too.

If you're looking for a bit of protein via a box of chicken nuggets, it's probably not the best thing to fill up on this fast-food junk for lunch. In fact the Examiner notes that as much as 60 percent of a nugget may be composed of chicken by-products, including an extra load of salt and sugar.

"We all know white chicken meat to be one of the best sources of lean protein available and encourage our patients to eat it," lead author Dr. Richard D. deShazo of the University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson said, via Reuters. "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."

This small study looked at two different food chains and the amount of muscle in chicken nuggets. When examined under a microscope, one showed only half muscle meat while the other showed even less at 40 percent.

"It is really a chicken by-product high in calories, salt, sugar and fat that is a very unhealthy choice," deShazo added. "Even worse, it tastes great and kids love it and it is marketed to them." 

Many skeptical parents may be concerned at this point about what their kids could be consuming and the health benefits behind various fast-food restaurants. (If any...) Health officials recommend making your own chicken nuggets from cut-up, skinless, boneless chicken breasts. With a little breading and a little oil, it isn't too difficult.

What do you think?

More information regarding the study can be found via the American Journal of Medicine.