Eggs
Buying eggs used to be so simple; just choose
which size you want and you’re good to go! When I
was a kid, I never even saw a brown egg, much
less an organic, free range, humanely raised one.
Today, all that has changed, and a dizzying array
of choices present themselves in the egg case.
What do these mean, and which is the best value?
The Best Eggs, Ever
Where are the good eggs? Look to your community,
and find someone you trust to provide your eggs.
This means doing a little leg work, and a little
research; find someone at the farmer’s market and
ask for a tour. Look at where the hens live, what
they eat, how they behave around people. Happy
hens are very sociable, and have their own
personalities and quirks. It all comes back to
building a relationship with the farmers in your
area.
If you live in an urban area and must buy eggs at
the store, tell the manager you want eggs from
local, organic, humanely treated, free range
hens. A lot of other people want the exact same
thing, and if we all keep asking, and NOT buying
the unacceptable options then we’ll get what we
want.
When you do find humanely produced, organic eggs,
don’t be shocked at the price. Remember that the
farmer has to buy more expensive feed, and watch
the birds carefully to prevent their being
carried away by predators. You can expect to pay
around three or four dollars for a dozen, and
that’s more than fair. The eggs are beautiful
with thick whites and orange yokes, they taste
like no factory farmed egg ever can: rich,
creamy, absolutely delicious! If you think you
can’t afford this price, consider cutting money
from less nutritious areas of your budget, or
just eating less eggs, but choosing higher
quality ones.
Better Treatment=Better Eggs
The nutritional content of these eggs is much
better than factory farmed eggs too: Although
conventional producers deny the superiority of
eggs from hens raised on pasture, studies have
shown these eggs have 1/3 less cholesterol, 1/4
less saturated fat, 2/3 more vitamin A, 2 times
more omega 3’s, 3 times more vitamin E, and a
whopping seven times more beta carotene.
Interesting, eh? Makes total sense to me that the
way a hen lives and what she eats effects the
nutritional content of her eggs.
Conventional Eggs: So Freakin’ Gross!
The hens who produce those nice looking, cheap
eggs in the refrigerator case lead what can only
be described as miserable lives. They are fed the
cheapest food possible: conventional, most often
genetically modified grain and soy. This food
comes complete with pesticide and fungicide
residues, which remains stored in the fat of the
hen. They are confined to battery cages (small
cages stacked on top of each other) 24 hours a
day, for the duration of their productive life,
then slaughtered. Since they don’t get fresh air,
sunlight, or exercise they get sick more often
than naturally raised birds. Because they are so
cramped together, disease spreads quickly, and
anitibiotics are often dispensed to combat these
poultry epidemics. Since a tiny percentage of
bacteria can survive antibiotic treatment and
produce antibiotic resistant superbacteria, it’s
no surprise that ever more virulent strains of
salmonella and e. coli are making their way out
of these factory farms and onto our plates.
Because of these irresponsible and inhumane
practices, a lick of raw cooky dough containing a
conventional egg could literally kill your child.
The
CDC does a great job of
describing which foods to avoid to prevent
salmonella, and claims the egg industry is
working to improve sanitation. I find it
odd, though, that the methods of housing,
feeding, and caring for laying hens is not
addressed. How about a discussion concerning
the origins of these superbugs and the
responsibility of the industry, CDC?
Check the Labels!
If you don’t want eggs that came from tortured
hens, and I know I don’t, then there are
options...
Certified Humane: Raised and Handled
This
label sounds reassuring,
especially since it is endorsed by the
American Society for the Prevention of
Cruelty to Animals. Eggs with this seal come
from hens raised with shelter, resting
areas, and enough room to move about and
engage in natural behaviors like pecking and
preening. These hens are not mandated to
have outdoor access, and may be de-beaked.
Additionally, their diet is said to be
nutritious, but it does not have to be
organic so make sure the eggs you buy have
the certified humane, as well as the organic
seal on the carton.
Organic
This label comes with the assurance that the hens
eat only organic, vegetarian feed, have access to
the outdoors (though actual time outside is not
mandated, just a door they could, theoretically,
go through), and that regular inspections occur
to assure these things. Although the hens aren’t
cramped in nasty battery cages, as the producers
of conventional eggs are, they may still be
enclosed in a crowded, indoor pen, have their
wings clipped, and be de-beaked.
Watch Out For Imposters!
The United Egg Producers
Certified label is something dreamed up by egg
producers to assuage customers concerned about
the care of hens. Although the seal comes with
the assurance of “proper care” that means the
industry definition of proper, not yours and
mine! These hens still live out their lives in
cramped battery cages, being fed non-organic
food. The label merely means that they have
access to food and water, well good job guys, how
very humane of you...
Free Range
Since there is no third-party monitoring for the
use of this label, we can’t know if it is truly
being followed. All it means, anyway, is that the
hens are in a barn or other enclosure instead of
cages, and that they couldtheoretically go
outside. They can still be clipped, de-beaked,
and starved so their feathers molt pre-slaughter.
For an even more fun option, have you considered
raising your own hens? More and more
municipalities are permitting small, rooster free
flocks within city limits. Check your city hall
for the rules concerning hens in your
neighborhood, but don’t give your address, name,
or number. If it’s against the law, you may still
be able to have a small, secret flock if you
don’t perturb the neighbors. Check out our little
experiment in chick rearing under the Projects
section of the menu bar...
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