Free Range Eggs: What's the big deal?

Above is a picture of some free range eggs I picked up at the Farmer's Market last week.  There is an undeniable difference between caged eggs and free range eggs.  Just look at these eggs!  Aren't they beautiful?  The pretty outside is not as interesting as what's inside these eggs.  The regular caged eggs most of us buy are unnaturally rich in arachidonic acid, and unnaturally low in omega-3. Their diet is rich in grains and soybeans.  Buyer beware!  These eggs are cheaper for a reason.  The hens are fed a diet that makes them fat and unhealthy and you in turn are eating an unnatural balance of fats higher in unhealthy omega 6 fats.  So what's the big deal?  A diet rich in this unnatural ratio leads to inflammation and is linked to the development of Heart disease.

A study done by the Penn State University found that "eggs from pastured hens had twice as much vitamin E and long-chain omega-3 fats, more than double the total omega-3 fatty acids, and less than half the ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids."  In layman's terms pastured eggs are rich in a nutrient that has been linked to reducing the incidence of a variety of health maladies including: heart disease, hypertension, Alzheimer disease, depression, and cancer to name a few.

Check out a website called LocalHarvest.org to search for pastured eggs in your area.

Egg salad with bacon and kale