Edible? Yes. Incredible? That's up to you.
If you want to know trends at the grocery store just ask a cashier. While many different items come through the checkout line, there is an old trend that is new again and in almost everyone’s basket. Here is your hint: they come by the dozen and shoppers are very particular about how they’re bagged. Yes, we’re talking about eggs!
White, Brown, large, extra large, all natural, and organic; eggs of every shape and size are back to being a staple of the American diet. And why wouldn’t they be? At just 70 calories, each egg comes equipped with 6 grams of protein and important vitamins A, D, B-12, and B-6. Eggs are easy to prepare and can be a delicious addition to any dish. The New Dietary Guidelines, which are about to be released, have removed restrictions on dietary cholesterol intake.
Another perk of egg eating? They are cheap. At less than $1.50/dozen, you can be eating a conventional egg a day for around 10 cents. Conventional eggs are the majority of store-bought eggs. In some cases this means cramped barns of over 100,000 hens, cages upon cages of diseased and stressed birds that never see the light of day. If you are into animal rights and don’t want to buy eggs from large-scale egg farming this article is for you. But don’t run off and jump on the vegetarian train just yet. You have options.
You won’t find variety as vast as the cereal aisle, but you have choices of how and where your eggs are laid. In order of increasing price: free range, certified-humane, organic, and local pasture-raised eggs are widely available. What do those descriptions mean and are they worth the price?
Free range
Happy chickens roaming green hills free to endlessly explore, right? Not quite. Free-range is a very open term. Hens are un-caged in barns and have outdoor access, but there is no standards that have to be met. Free-range barns are over populated, dirty and stressful. Beaks are cut to prevent aggressive hens from killing each other.
Organic
The only difference between free-range and organic eggs is regulation on diet. Birds are fed an organic, vegetarian diet containing no pesticides or antibiotics. Beak cutting and poor living conditions still occur.
Certified Humane
Certified humane holds no restriction on diet. Beaks are still cut, outdoor access is not required. Hen houses are equipped with perches and nesting boxes.
Local, Pasture-raised
If you have access to farmers markets, you can buy a dozen multi-colored gems, or as some like to say, local pasture-raised eggs. The makers of these eggs are raised on small-scale farms in your area. Hens are humanely fed and given freedom to roam and nest where they please. Still don’t have a good idea what their living conditions are like? Jot down the farm’s address and go for a quick drive.
The reasons we buy certain food products varies. Some buy for price, others for health. But think twice before you buy for advertising. Remember, a labels’ imagery and wording are skillful selling tactics. Power yourself with knowledge to make better choices as a consumer. Consider yourself egg-ucated.
SeAnne Safaii, Ph.D., RD, LD, is an assistant professor at the University of Idaho.