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Food manufacturers have attempted to demonize eggs for decades. It is infinitely more profitable to convince the public to eat Egg Beaters and processed vegetable oils than to encourage them to consume the non-patentable perfection that is the egg.
Even folks who see through the marketing hype against eggs that is cleverly disguised as “science” frequently get waylaid by the free range and organic eggs labeling on egg cartons.
The truth is that buying organic, free range eggs from the supermarket or healthfood store is no guarantee that the birds lived a healthy life. What’s more, the eggs may not even be that nutrient dense. You’re safer buying duck eggs or goose eggs as these types of birds are more resistant to industrialized living. Even when domesticated, they eat more closely to their native diet than chickens.
Let’s take a look at why organic chicken eggs are a scam.
Organic Eggs Reality Check #1
Did you know that there are no requirements for the quality or amount of time spent outside for organic eggs or even free range eggs? This means that organic eggs could actually be from hens who get basically no bugs in their diet from pecking in the ground. If the hens don’t get to peck around in the ground for grubs and insects, the eggs they produce will have drastically reduced nutritional value – organic or not.
Organic Eggs Reality Check #2
Did you know that the hens from a free range or organic eggs farm can still have their beaks cut and be subjected to forced molting which involves starving them for 7-14 days which can in some cases kill them?
Organic Eggs Reality Check #3
Organic eggs marked as “cage free” does not mean that the hens have access to the outdoors or even daylight! The hens could actually be running around inside with artificial lighting on a concrete floor and the eggs still qualify as cage free!
The only way to get truly healthy eggs where you can be sure the hens are not abused is to buy local from a farmer you trust, not organic eggs from the store!
There is no way around this folks that I have found. You must start connecting with the people in your community if you really want to source some decent eggs!
Folks in my buying club regularly tell me how shocked they are when they run out of the eggs sourced locally and buy a carton of organic eggs from the store how puny, pathetic and bland tasting they are. They are also incredibly expensive.
Not only will you more than likely save yourself some money buying eggs locally, you will also be helping a local business remain viable and improving the nutrient density of your diet all at the same time!
Organic eggs most definitely does not always mean better!
Need more egg recipes once you’ve found a quality local source? Try these breakfast egg ideas, easy lunch egg recipes, and dinner egg recipes for inspiration!
Below is a fantastic infographic on the reality behind the egg industry created by Kristin Lindquist. What factoids did you find most alarming?
More Information
Best Egg Substitute (plus Video)
Organic Store Eggs Just Don’t Stack Up
What Oxidizes the Cholesterol in Eggs?
Think You Have Fresh Eggs? Here’s How to Tell
Mine are cert. organic and cert. animal welfare – I get them straight from the farmer Jem Farm. They do sell them at the local co-op too though. Can’t stress enough how important it is to know your farmer and their farm. Ask questions. Unfortunately, lots of pastured eggs are also fed conventional (read GMO) grain – if you’re picky and don’t want that you have to spend some time researching and getting to know the farms and the farmers to make the best decisions for you and your household.
I buy organic because i thought otherwise you get the ones fed GMO corn??!!
Anything organic can still be started from GMO seeds. There are no laws that the organic farmers can’t use GMO seeds.
Untrue. The law specifically prohibits GMO seeds from being labeled as Organic, and anything grown from those seeds as well. It’s the Natural label you’re thinking of that can contain GMO.
yes. it is very important that the chickens, with no known wild origin (scientist theorize that they might have been a mix of three species of gallus; however a few of their genes are unique to their species, which is gallus domesticus-so they don’t know where they came from), who have been bred through centuries by humans to be mindless, flightless, delicious animals only fit for cheap and ready consumption or eggs that are cheap and ready to eat only be fed organic, nonGMO corn that have also been bred for so many generations that they no longer genetically or physically resemble wild grains. Very important. Makes perfect sense. If you want nonGMO anything, eat wild turkey.
Rancho Alegre Farm.
Get to know the folks who produce your food. You will make a friend as a special bonus 🙂
Egg score card form Cornucopia Institute
A friend gave me some of her chickens eggs last Friday. Does anyone know how long they can be kept?
We have 3 dozen chickens and get fresh eggs everyday. We do not refrigerate our eggs and keep them in the mudroom cupboard for upto a couple weeks. Eggs have a natural coating that the chicken leaves on it as it’s layed. This protects the egg from bacteria getting intot he porous shell. Commercial eggs are washed so they look nice and need to be refrigerated to keep them from spoiling. I have kept commercial eggs in fridge for 2 months before using them and they were fine to eat.
I get pasture raised eggs. I seldom eat eggs but many baked recipes call for them so I buy vital farms brand eggs at whole foods market.
We get our eggs from a local farm – love them.Grocery store eggs are horrid…
Thank You….. It seems we can”t trust any store labels it so sad they will lie and cheat to make a buck.
My eggs come from my parents. 😉