what's all this about eggs??

Eggs have gotten a bad reputation in years past for being "unhealthy."  I was reading some great info on the flight home Sunday that has come up about three times this week since.  As I look over the info and options of a local CSA, I thought eggs would be a good topic for today.

I'll go ahead and tell you I found ALL the info I wanted to share on one site, so please forgive the copy/paste.  But, I'm lazy, so there ya go.  This all comes from Mother Earth News:

LATEST RESULTS: New test results show that pastured egg producers are kicking the commercial industry's derriere when it comes to vitamin D! Eggs from hens raised on pasture show 4 to 6 times as much vitamin D as typical supermarket eggs.

RESULTS FROM OUR PREVIOUS STUDY: Eggs from hens allowed to peck on pasture are a heck of a lot better than those from chickens raised in cages! Most of the eggs currently sold in supermarkets are nutritionally inferior to eggs produced by hens raised on pasture. That’s the conclusion we have reached following completion of the 2007 Mother Earth News egg testing project. Our testing has found that, compared to official U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) nutrient data for commercial eggs, eggs from hens raised on pasture may contain:

• 1⁄3 less cholesterol• 1⁄4 less saturated fat• 2⁄3 more vitamin A• 2 times more omega-3 fatty acids• 3 times more vitamin E• 7 times more beta carotene 

These amazing results come from 14 flocks around the country that range freely on pasture or are housed in moveable pens that are rotated frequently to maximize access to fresh pasture and protect the birds from predators. We had six eggs from each of the 14 pastured flocks tested by an accredited laboratory in Portland, Ore. The chart in Meet the Real Free-range Eggs (October/November 2007) shows the average nutrient content of the samples, compared with the official egg nutrient data from the USDA for “conventional” (i.e. from confined hens) eggs. The chart lists the individual results from each flock.

Now, you also have to make sure you are an informed consumer to know what all these terms like "free range" and "cage-free" mean on your egg package!  Again, props go out to Mother Earth News for this one, too.  Click here to find out exactly what all those labels mean.  (Make sure you check out all the pages of that article!)

So... what's the verdict?  Hopefully this has given you some "food for thought."  Heh heh - shameless, I know.  

Be well, all - and EAT REAL FOOD!!