The average American eats 278 chicken eggs per year — roughly one egg per day. With eggs being so important to our everyday diet, do we put enough thought and consideration into the quality of the eggs we eat?
Not all chicken eggs are created equal. In fact, most of the eggs we buy in supermarkets are severely lacking in nutrients compared to those of pastured hens. Study after study will show that the eggs of conventionally raised chickens have lower quantities of vitamins and heart-healthy fatty acids than those of their free-range counterparts.
It all comes down to what the chickens eat. Chickens by nature are omnivores, meaning they eat both animals and plants. When allowed to roam in pasture, chickens will eat the seeds, plant seedlings, insects, and worms they find in the grass. The wide variety of nutrients the chickens receive from this diverse diet get passed to their eggs. The healthy levels of Vitamin A, Vitamin D, and Omega-3 Fatty Acids that free-range eggs are known for all come from the natural diet that freely roaming chickens consume.
Chickens raised conventionally in pens are given a corn feed-based diet. Corn is high in energy, which will keep the chickens sustained, but doesn't offer much in terms of nutrition. If the hens are malnourished, their eggs will be too.
Omega-3 Fatty Acids are one of the most beneficial nutrients we can receive from free-range eggs. Omega-3 Fatty Acids are important to healing and reducing inflammation in our blood vessels, thereby reducing the buildup of cholesterol in our bloodstream. Most health advocates associate Omega-3 Fatty Acids with fish, particularly salmon and mackerel. But this association comes primarily from the fact that much of the fish we eat is wild-caught and allowed to eat its natural diet, whereas most of the chicken, pork, and beef we eat comes from animals given corn-based feeds lacking in key nutrients. When allowed to eat seeds and insects, chickens ingest healthy amounts of Omega-3 Fatty acids, making both their meat and eggs much healthier for human consumption.
The best place to buy free-range eggs is at your local farmers market. Eggs in cartons labeled "free-range" or "cage-free" in supermarkets may only comply with regulatory minimums as to how many hours the chickens must be allowed outdoors, with chickens not truly able to graze in pastures for their natural diets.
Ask a farmer at your local market how his or her chickens are raised. Likely, they are taken from field to field throughout the year to fertilize the land for future crops, giving the hens lots of space and opportunity to find the variety of bugs and seeds they crave. This practice helps the chickens make very healthy eggs for you and your family.