Nice to see some research confirming what many of us urban chicken farmers already suspect: yard fresh eggs are more nutritious than the eggs you buy in the store.Mother Earth News reports that free range, pastured eggs contain (as compared to commercially raised factory farm eggs):
- 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 carotent
- 4-6 times more vitamin D
So, by letting your hens spend time scratching around the yard, you're actually helping them make healthier eggs for you. And supplementing their yard-based diet of bugs and greens with organic feed like they sell at places like Organicfeeds.biz can't hurt either, I'm sure.
I like my eggs over medium, how about you?
3 comments:
Hooray for good words about health values of free range chicken eggs. It is funny when people first see my egg yolks and fear something is wrong because they are such bright yellow/orange and beautiful. I'm putting this post on my "I Love Your Blog" link.
On a marginally-related note, I thought I read somewhere that the the blue/green eggs from easter eggers contain more cholesterol and less minerals. Is that true?
Hey Grauhaus,
I'm not sure why the blue/green eggs would contain more cholesterol/fewer minerals than white or brown eggs, as the color of the eggs are linked to the skin color of the chicken, not to the mineral contents of the shell or insides of the egg.
However, if true, I'm sure the Mother Earth research would highlight the fact.
(And Granny Annie, so happy to make your day whenever I can!)
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