Eggs are an everyday food staple in many homes. Many of you have seen images of happy chickens ranging outdoors and some of you have even had the opportunity to raise chickens. Have you ever wondered though if the environment the hen lives in changes the nutrition of the egg it produces?
In a study done by Mother Earth News, they demonstrated that eggs from pastured chickens had 4 to 6 times as much Vitamin D as eggs grown commercially. A different study demonstrated that eggs from pastured chickens had 2/3 more vitamin A, 2 times more omega-3 fatty acids, 3 times more Vitamin E, and 7 times more beta carotene than eggs from chickens raised in large commercial buildings. They also found eggs from pastured hens had 1/3 less cholesterol and 1/4 less fat!
Be aware of marketing gimmicks by large egg producers. Labels such "free range" or "cage free" don't mean much and generally do not have any significant impact on the nutritional quality of the eggs produced.
So do your body a favor. Eat eggs from hens that have been allowed to roam outside foraging for at least part of their diet. It really does make a difference in the nutrient density of the eggs they produce.