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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
lies are reigning at the food shop!
Oliver, get off it. We heard you the first 150 times.
oliver, what about eating the egg raw?? would it make a difference then?? 80% of the eggs we eat are eaten raw..
-jason and lisa-
Jason and Lisa – I used to eat eggs raw – the ones I got from my local bodega or whatever. I would mix it in with orange juice to hide the feel of raw eggs sliding down the hatch. That was way back when. Today, I’m kind of paranoid about many if not all of the farming practises. I suppose if i Knew the source, the farmer and what he does, or if i raised my own i would be more confident.
Eggs are one element shy of perfection – they lack Vitamin C. So i used to take raw eggs and vitamin C and be good to go. I can get the other properties of raw eggs from other food sources that aren’t as risky – plants for instance don’t have many of the inherent risks that living farm animals have.
If you’ve got good egg sources then that’s awesome. So too with fresh raw milk – but it has to be very fresh as in “fresh squeezed” 🙂
Yay! Oliver agrees that fresh, good quality eggs and fresh, good quality milk is good for you!
I’m glad he also knows the exact nutrients required for good health and in what exact proportions! Considering science is always moving the guidelines here, thank goodness we have Oliver!
Thank you for this post! It’s sad, disgusting and manipulating from the big companies but that’s why local farms are SO much better!
Are you aware of the Certified Humane eggs? I’m surprised it wasn’t mentioned. When I buy eggs, I purchase only those eggs that have the Certified Human seal. My local supermarket has it, thank god. I only buy the eggs that have it. http://www.certifiedhumane.org/
I feel very fortunate to have a local friend who raises ducks and that’s where I get my eggs. I visited her today after reading this article and, sadly, somebody stole her prime layers out of her yard. She has one adult layer and got some babies recently and while she’s waiting for them to lay, she feeds them organic but it still has corn in it. The price for the organic, corn-free is $7 more so she has to wait til the other ducks start laying so she can sell the eggs and afford to get back to the organic, non-gmo feed. I’ll still buy the eggs from her because I’m supporting my friend and because they’re better than the store-bought. We all do what we can.
best to try and obtain your eggs at a farm. Not only do you get fresh eggs you are also supporting your local farmer!!!
When looking at farms, an ideal thing to look for is chickens that follow cows. In other words, chickens that are allowed to follow in areas where cows have recently been have a rich source of bugs from the cow pies. The hens spread it out, replenish the land, and have higher nutrient content in their eggs and meat, such a vitamin K2 which comes from the bugs and worms they consume.
Oh this makes sense! The best eggs in town (I’ve tried them all!) Come from the farm that delivers my raw milk! Seriously they are awesome, very dark orange yolk. your comment helps to explain why they are the best. fortuny th perey dozen are also the cheapest at 3.50$ per dozen.
SORRY for the typos
For those that feel they can’t get good eggs because of where they live, this is what we did: we contacted the most local Weston A Price chapter and a bunch of us formed a group that would take turns driving 90 miles one way for milk and eggs, honey and walnuts. We had enough people that we only had to drive once every 2-3 months. It worked out wonderfully! We did this for about 3 years until milk and eggs became available within blocks from our house. We purchase upwards of 4 dozen eggs at a time since they last so long.