Eggs: 5 Health Benefits plus Misleading Labels
You're always looking for healthier ways to eat or foods that will benefit your family’s health.
But no one ever thinks much about eggs. They're just always kind of "there"...
How about all the labels in the store? They can be confusing, Free-range, cage free, vegetarian fed…
What’s a mom to do??
Let’s unpack those misleading labels.
"Free Range":
In commercial egg production (store-bought eggs) this means the hens have access to some sort of outdoor enclosure.
But that fenced area is not very big; therefore, they scratch and peck it down to dirt in no time at all, so they are not really getting any pasture.
But at least they get sunshine, right?
Maybe…
“Cage-free”:
This means the hens are not stuffed in a small cage.
It also doesn’t mean they have any access to outside.
They are still stuck in a building all day. More often than not, they are crammed in a small area.
They are not required to even have a window for sunlight.
From what I’ve seen, I would rather the hens be in small cages than “cage-free”. The conditions they are kept in are much worse, and it can lead to pecking and cannibalism in the bored hens.
“Vegetarian-fed”: (this one really gets me)
Chickens are not vegetarians, nor should they be fed that way.
Chickens are omnivores. Meaning they eat plants and animals.
Bugs are not plant-based. So if you want your chickens out scratching and pecking for food, they will eat bugs. And the occasional mouse or any other little critters they can find.
Chickens that are strictly fed a vegetarian diet will obviously not have ANY access to the outdoors. If they do, then it’s false labeling!
And after some time on a strict “vegetarian” diet, they will become malnourished or be lacking in some vitamins and minerals.
That all turns into lower quality eggs (you are what you eat)!
Pasture-raised is your best bet.
Or, a step above that is, know your farmer to SEE the chickens!
We are proud to say our ‘pastured chickens’ are literally Free-range.
No cages or fences.
Well... there are fences, but they just go right under, over, or through our cows', goats', or pigs' fences.
Our chickys can even go in the fields if they choose. Or across the road... [insert lame chicken joke here].
There are some major benefits your family will enjoy from choosing REAL free-range or pastured eggs.
1. Less Fat and Cholesterol
10% less fat and 34% less cholesterol to be exact.
2. More Vitamin A/Beta Carotene
40-60% more Vitamin A and 7 times the amount of Beta Carotene compared to conventional eggs!! That's where the dark-yellow/orange yolks come from.
*Now you don't have to eat so many carrots!*
3. More Vitamin B & E
A variety of B Vitamins, including choline and niacin, are found in the egg white. Most of the other vitamins are in the yolk.
Double the amount of Vitamin E can be found in these pastured nuggets of gold (or dark brown, or blue, or green, depending on the chicken breed ;)
4. Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Pastured eggs can have 4 times the amount compared to the caged variety!
You always hear how you need to have more Omega-3 in your diet. Here's an easy way to add it.
Flax-free eggs? Some farms feed flax to 'up' the Omega-3’s. We do not feed flax seeds.
Something I’ve learned recently is that flax seeds are SUPER high in estrogen.
Like 1/4c flax seeds equals 20 birth control pills!!! My mind was blown. But I’m happy to say we’ve never fed flax seeds to our chickens and never will.
5. Happy Chickens
What makes better food? Animals that are raised the way God intended!
They will be happier, healthier, and produce more. And in turn, give you the best of what they were put on this earth for, feeding us :)
Our chickens' egg yolks are so dark I've had people ask what the "orange stuff" is in my potato salad, LOL!!
Where do your eggs come from? Your backyard? Grocery store? Or a local farmer?
