If you are looking for a quick, easy, healthy food in a cute little package, eggs are it! Eggs are a great source of protein, (all essential amino acids) vitamin A, D, E, and some B vitamins, calcium, iron, phosphorus and zinc. The yolk also contains fat, lecithin, and cholesterol. Don’t panic about cholesterol, our body needs good sources of cholesterol and a whole egg is a great source.
Eggs are a great simple food, but it is not so simple to purchase them anymore. It’s worse than trying to decide which designer jeans to buy. Cage free, pastured, pasture--raised, free-range, free-roaming, hormone-free, natural, antibiotic-free, omega-3 enriched. It seems eggs have gone designer! Some even have their own logo stamped right on the egg. Well, I will help you sort it all out.
If you have access to an organic farm that raises chickens, you are lucky. Eggs from chickens that are raised the way they used to be 100 or more years ago, allowing chickens to roam free and forage are your best choice. You can usually find these locally farmed raised chickens and eggs at your local farmer’s market. Farmers are usually very willing (and proud) to discuss with you how their chickens are kept and what they eat. Most farmer’s markets require certain standards from their farmers including that products are made or grown locally and that the farmer is mindful of harmful fertilizers and pest control. Products at farmer’s markets are not necessarily organic, but many are using organic methods although they may not have the organic certification. Certification is quite costly to acquire, not always financially feasible for small farms.
If buying eggs at the supermarket, your best choice is certified organic eggs. Check the carton for the green and white circle seal: USDA Organic. These eggs are regulated by the USDA as meeting certain standards which include: “Prohibits cages, prohibits use of antibiotics, requires access to outdoors, requires organic feed.” So with USDA organic, you are already getting cage free eggs. Cartons just marked cage free are not regulated by any agency so as long as chickens are out of their cages for a period of time, even inside the barn, they can be labeled, cage-free.
Another good choice is animal welfare approved. Eggs with this label are regulated by the very strict regulations of the Animal Welfare Institute.
All the other labels do not contain the same amount of regulation or best practices to raise the best quality chickens and eggs. Pastured-raised and free-range sound nice but unless you know the farm, there is no legal or regulated definition of these terms. All natural is one of the most misleading terms on any food label. As defined by the USDA, it means nothing was added, but does not indicate how it was raised, fed, or if it received antibiotics. Chickens and eggs are already natural!
When people tell me they cannot afford an all organic diet, (most people cannot) I let them know which foods are best to buy organic. Organic eggs are one of them!
I hope this simplifies your egg shopping. If you want to explore this issue further the websites below will give you more detailed information.
http://www.takepart.com/article/2014/04/03/unscrambling-egg-carton-labels
http://www.humanesociety.org/issues/confinement_farm/facts/guide_egg_labels.html
This is one of my favorite egg recipes. It includes good quality protein, whole grain carbohydrates, vegetables and fat, and so easy and versatile you can whip it up easily for any meal of the day. If I get home late from work and I’m too tired to really cook, this is my go-to meal.
Let me know your thoughts or comments on this article or a topic you’d like to see. You email me at: lisaobrien.nutrition@gmail.com
Very Special Egg Breakfast
Easy, delicious and satisfying any time of day.
Ingredients:
- 1 organic, free range egg
- 1 tbsp vinegar (I use apple cider vinegar)
- 1 slice sprouted grain bread (look in the freezer aisle – I like Ezekiel or Alvarado Street Bakery)Chopped tomato, avocado, or other veggies of choice (this is good with grilled veggies too)
Directions:
1. Fill pot with a few inches of water. Bring to boil.
2. Crack egg into a small cup or bowl.
3. Lower heat so water is barely bubbling.
4. Lower the cup into the water to gentle release the egg.
5. Toast bread, chop veggies.
6. Keep an eye on the egg as it starts to set. After 3 minutes, pick it up with a slotted spoon and touch the top to see if it’s close to being done (if you prefer the yolk more runny). Continue to cook if desired.
7. Place avocado and/or veggies on top of toast. My favorite is avocado and sliced cherry tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper and/or a drizzle of olive oil, if you like. Place the egg right on top and enjoy!
Note: If I’m not using avocado, I’ll use a small pat of butter, or goat cheese (my favorite), on the toast or drizzle olive oil over the tomatoes before I place the egg on top.
A fried egg also works well, when I don’t have time to poach an egg.
