3 Egg Essentials: Buy the Best
The quality of the egg is determined by the life and health of the hen. The price or the grade on the package doesn't reveal what you need to know. So how do you know if the hens are healthy and happy? Look for these 3 Egg Essentials!
3 Egg Essentials:
#1 Pasture Raised
Pasture Raised is best because she's outdoors hunting for her larvae and grubs and eating the natural grass. The more nutrients they take in through their diets, the more it transfers to their cells, tissues & eggs!
CAUTION: the USDA and the US government do NOT inspect if the hens are genuinely pasture-raised. That's why you need to look for a formal certification that verifies it.
#2 Certified Humane® Certification
Certified Humane® is considered the gold standard in animal welfare verification because it puts each farm under an extensive application, inspection, and verification process each year to ensure they meet all of the certified humane standards for pasture-raised laying hens.
The Certified Humane® Certification on the carton, see image example below, is the best verification you can get as to the quality of the hen's environment, mainly pasture-raised, since the one category the government doesn't verify.
Can't Find Pasture Raised?
No matter what grade or brand, always look for the Certified Humane® logo on other types of eggs- not just Pasture raised- they will also "annually" certify the humane status that the manufacturer claims. See the side of the package, the image below, and what's in my refrigerator now. The Pasture Raised were sold out.
#3 Organic
Organic refers to the feed that the birds are fed. Yes, even pasture-raised are sometimes fed seed in winter months. Organic on the label means the feed did not contain animal byproducts, synthetic fertilizers, sewage sludge, pesticides, or other nefarious ingredients.
See the Difference!
My at-home comparison of a "cage-free, non-certified, not organic" egg is shown in the image below on the left. Pictured right is the "best egg" with all 3 Essentials: "pasture-raised, Certified Humane®, organic."
The Color of the Egg Yolk
The yolk can reliably reflect the nutrition and value of the egg. The darker, yellow, orange color is best. It means that the egg is high in lutein, an antioxidant nutrient.
Are pasture-raised always darker in color? It's natural for there to be a variety of colors in the yolk because, depending on the season and their preference, they may be eating more seed than grass and grubs.
Excellent, but, Not Necessary...
Omega-3s are not in the top three essentials because it's difficult to determine how much you're getting in each egg. The hens are fed flaxseed and other high omega-3 fatty acid seeds, but there's no reliable way to know if the hens are eating the omega-3 seed and, if so, how much. That's why there's no certainty in Omega-3 eggs. A more reliable source of omega-3s is fish.
Bottom Line: What to Buy
Certified Humane® Seal on every carton you buy. Pasture-Raised if you can find it. And ideally Organic. Finally, if they include omega-3s, that's awesome, but omegas in eggs aren't necessary!
Brown Shell vs. White Shells?
It doesn't matter. Suppose you want to know why to watch my "Real Life Strategy Video," where I tell you the difference and give you more tips on How to Buy Eggs. And find out the difference between: "Cage-Free," "Free-Range," & "Pasture Raised" and all the different "grades" on the packages. You'll want to watch this video if you buy liquid eggs or egg whites. Paid Subscribers and ALL Members: CLICK HERE TO WATCH