My father eats two eggs, sunny side up every morning, for as long as I can remember. When health experts claimed eggs were to blame for high cholesterol and other health problems, he tried to change up his breakfast. But he didn’t feel full or satisfied and felt just plain ‘blah’, so he went back to his usual 2-egg breakfast. He didn’t care what the experts thought because he felt better starting his day off with eggs.

I am glad he listened to his body because eggs are an amazing nutrition powerhouse that deserves a place in a balanced diet (as long as you don’t have an allergy to eggs). They are rich in protein, fat, vitamins and minerals (iron and zinc). Because they are so rich in nutrients, they can reduce your risk for many common diseases, they protect your skin and eyes from sun damage, and improve brain and liver function.

Today, experts now say that the cholesterol in eggs does not impact blood cholesterol levels. In fact, they say it actually helps regulate the levels of good and bad cholesterol in your body. Consuming eggs is now related to reduced risk of heart disease, improve eye health, and considered food for your brain and nervous system. My father was diagnosed with high blood pressure as a young adult and I believe those eggs kept his health in check and heart disease at bay.

During my days of training as an NTP, I learned that not all eggs are created equal. A healthy chicken produces a healthy, nutritious egg. Their living conditions and diet have a big impact on the quality of the egg produced. Many people have asked me about the different types of eggs available in markets today and which ones they should buy. Cage free? Omega-3 enriched? Vegetarian? Which one is best? Keep reading…

Caged/Conventional Eggs

Most eggs you find in the grocery store fit in this category. The hens are raised in confined cages and don’t see much sunlight. They are fed a highly processed diet of corn and/or soy feed which is most likely genetically modified. The feed is also laced with antibiotics and hormones to prevent infection and fatten them up.

Omega-3 Enriched Eggs

This sounds good, but the chickens are raised the same as caged chickens except that omega-3 supplements are added to their feed.

Organic

Again, this sounds good, but the chickens are raised the same as caged chickens. The main difference is the chickens are fed organic feed. The feed does not have pesticides, fertilizers, antibiotics or hormones.

Cage-Free/Free Range

Cage-free means that the chickens have the ability to roam and have unlimited access to food and water. Free range means they have ability to wander outdoors. There are no specifications for the amount of space a cage-free chicken requires or the amount of time a free range chicken needs to spend outdoors. This means that while cage-free chickens may have more space than caged chickens, they are still just stuffed into a barn. Free range chickens have access to the outdoors, but may not use it. They may not want to wander outside because heat and feed are indoors. Both are given corn or soy based feed which may contain antibiotics and hormones too.

Vegetarian

These chickens are fed vegetarian feed – usually processed, genetically modified feed. The problem is that chickens are not vegetarian by nature – they eat bugs and worms along with seeds and grass. This is not their typical diet and thus the eggs are not as packed with nutrients.

My top choice is…

Pasture-Raised

These hens roam freely on pastures eating grass, seeds, worms, bugs and anything else they can find. Because they have a diet that is closer to their natural diet and get plenty of sunshine, their eggs are more nutritious. Pasture-raised eggs have a more vibrant orange colored yolk compared to the yolk of a conventional egg which tends to be more yellow in color. And the flavor? So much richer!

With the rich color and flavor of pasture-raised eggs comes more nutrition:

  • Twice as much vitamin E

  • 38 percent higher vitamin A concentration

  • Twice as much long-chain Omega-3 fats

  • 2.5x more total Omega-3 fatty acids

  • Less than half the ratio of Omega-6 to Omega-3

  • 98 percent less likely to carry salmonella

The best place to buy pastured eggs is from your local farmer’s market because you know where they cam from and that they are fresh. Vital Farms and Happy Eggs are good choices at the grocery store. There are other good pasture raised brands, but do your homework.

Have a question? Please ask!

I want to learn more…

https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/renewable-agriculture-and-food-systems/article/vitamins-a-e-and-fatty-acid-composition-of-the-eggs-of-caged-hens-and-pastured-hens/552BA04E5A9E3CD7E49E405B339ECA32