A TikToker said she was shocked by how much her health improved after removing chicken from her diet for a month, sparking conversation about whether chicken is actually healthy after all.
In a now-viral video, herbalist Darlene Charise (@herbalistdarlene) said that she first became skeptical about eating chicken when she did some research about the conditions in which poultry is raised and processed.
“The chicken coops are literally piled on top of one another,” Charise said in the clip.
According to animal activism organization People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), chickens raised on factory farms for large agriculture companies are raised in cramped sheds with no access to sunlight or grass, which can quickly lead to disease outbreaks.
While poultry samples are frequently tested, diseased birds are known to slip through the cracks. In fact, just this year, there have been multiple reports of Listeria and Bird Flu outbreaks in the United States.
Chicken and knee pain
Charise continued to explain that at 46 years old, she had begun to experience symptoms like severe hip and knee pain, difficulty losing weight, and bloating. At first, she said she chalked it up to perimenopause. But she wanted to see if removing chicken from her diet would make a difference—and to her surprise, it did.
“I don’t have pain. No inflammation. No bloating,” she exclaimed. “I thought chicken was the healthy meat.”
Charisa said that she suspects that hormones and antibiotics given to chicken raised for food could be the culprit.
“That chicken is killing us,” she asserted in the clip, urging other women to give up chicken for a month to see if their health would improve.
According to GoodRX, chicken has been linked to inflammation. However, results are inconclusive: “There’s not a lot of existing research on the topic. But one study looked at inflammatory markers in women with obesity. They found that those who ate a diet high in chicken had lower markers of inflammation.”
Viewers share their stories about ditching chicken
In the commenters, viewers shared their own experiences quitting chicken.
“I stopped eating chicken about two years ago. I started eating more fruit, nuts, seeds, veggies, beans etc and let me tell you; my workout is crazy and my locs have grown like crazy,” one user wrote.
“Yup, I stopped eating chicken and my fibroids shrunk. My OBGYN told me to keep doing what I’m doing,” another said.
“I’ve been unconsciously knowing this for a while now.. I hate the way I feel afterwards and during eating it sometimes,” a third added.
Others said they would take Charise up on her challenge.
“Starting July 1st I’m going to forego chicken for the entire month and gauge my overall health,” a commenter said.
However, not all users were as enthusiastic about removing poultry from their diet.
“So no chicken. no tampons. no apple juice. y’all wat do we doooo?” a viewer asked.
@herbalistdarlene Leave that chicken alone, I promise you will feel so much better. #feminineenergy #healthy #wellness #over40 #inflammation #nomorechicken ♬ original sound – Darlene Charise
“Eat chicken but grow your own. Chicken is good for you,” another suggested.
The Daily Dot reached out to Charise via email for further comment.
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