THE BEST EGG
Which egg is the best egg!? The egg from a happy, healthy chicken that is PASTURE RAISED and Certified Humane®! These nutrient-packed ovals contain twice as much anti inflammatory omega-3 fatty acids, three times the vitamin D, four times the vitamin E, and seven times the beta-carotene than eggs from hens raised on traditional feed. Pasture raised eggs are sustainably raised and, in my opinion, are much better tasting. An organic certification will ensure that the hens are fed organic feed and do not receive hormones, vaccines, or antibiotics. The packaging should include THREE labels: USDA organic, pasture raised and certified humane. I love the Vital Farms brand, which are widely available in most grocery stores. Trader Joe’s now has their own version of pasture free eggs!
What about “Cage Free” or “Free Range” eggs, you may ask. Check out the following certification requirements behind the very confusing labeling found on grocery store egg cartons.
🔹Caged (over 90% of eggs produced in the US)- a meager 67 square inch space allotted to each hen. They are fed a corn or soy diet. Antibiotics must be injected into the hens because as you can imagine, these living conditions produce very ill birds, which results in eggs that are nutritionally lacking (not to mention inhumane).
🔹Cage Free- each hen has less than 1 square foot of space to peck around in. They are confined indoors and fed corn or soy. Because of increased bird interaction there is a higher rate of bacteria, fungi, internal and external parasites, noxious gases and dust when compared to more confined cage systems. These eggs are inhumane and not very healthy.
🔹Free Range- requires less than 2 square feet per hen and only a 4-by-4 foot coop adjacent to the barn area that many hens never take advantage of. Free Range is very deceptive labeling, and the birds and eggs share many of the same contamination issues as those in cage-free systems.
🔹Pasture Raised- Each hen has at least 108 square feet to roam and they consume a natural diet of grass, bugs, worms and anything else they can find in the dirt. They usually spend dawn till dusk outdoors then sleep in a barn. Contamination is not an issue with this system, and the chickens are treated with the respect they deserve.
