You’ve seen the cartons of eggs labeled “organic” at the grocery store. Would you be disappointed to find out not all organic eggs are created equal?
Thanks to the Cornucopia Institute, a non-profit organization advocating the interests of family-scale farms, you have a new tool to get the highest quality organic eggs for your family. It’s called the Organic Egg Scorecard.
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has regulated food labels using the word “organic” since 2002. However, industrial-scale egg producers, which account for over 80% of organic eggs in America, have found ways to bend the “USDA Organic” seal requirements to their advantage.
One such requirement, is that egg laying hens be given “outdoor access” on the farm. However, large-scale producers usually keep their birds in enormous hen houses containing up to 80,000 birds, kept in cages. Family-scale farms on the other hand, keep their hens on pastures with either full or substantial outdoor access.
The following video points out the major differences between the large and small players in the organic egg production. This video is courtesy of Cornucopia Institute and NaturalNewsTV:
This video paints a rather negative picture of the large-scale egg producers. Beyond the issue of animal welfare, there’s the issue of nutritional value as well.
The folks at Cornucopia reviewed studies regarding the additional nutritional value found in eggs from small producers Here’s one of the studies cited:
“Research at Pennsylvania State University reveals discernible nutritional benefits to the consumer from raising lying hens on a pasture. When compared with caged hens fed only a commercial diet, pastured hens produce eggs with twice as much vitamin E and 2.5 fold more healthy omega-3 fatty acids.”
Also, Cornucopia reviewed a study from Mother Earth News which stated:
“…comparing the nutritional qualities of conventional eggs with those produced by pastured hens. Their tests found that pastured-raised eggs contain one-third less cholesterol, one-quarter less saturated fat, two-thirds more vitamin A, two times more omega-3 fatty acids and three times more vitamin E.”
These studies and others make a compelling case for eggs produced on small-scale farms. Which eggs would you prefer to buy?
To help consumers, Cornucopia has created an Organic Egg Scorecard. This valuable report rates organic egg producers and brands throughout America, on a set of 22 factors. I suggest you go to this link and download your free scorecard today. It will help you find the best brands and highest quality organic eggs in your locale.
The Bottom Line: It’s all about quality and nutritional value. I’m not a big egg person, but I believe consumers should have the information to make the best decisions regarding what they eat. Don’t let the large-scale “organic” egg producers fool you. They want your money, but it’s an inferior product they’re offering you.
It’s your life, live well.
