Heart Healthy Eggs
All eggs are nutritious, but pasture-raised eggs are the best choice for a healthy diet.
They come from hens that roam and feed outdoors, providing a more varied diet.
This makes pasture-raised eggs especially rich in omega-3 fats, antioxidants and vitamins.
Eggs are a great source of high-quality protein, vitamins and minerals. Yet the egg aisle can be confusing . Between cage-free, organic, free-range and pasture-raised eggs, it can be hard to know which one you should choose.
Pasture-raised eggs are your healthiest choice, Here’s why:
they are produced in a more natural environment
like cage-free eggs, pasture-raised eggs come from hens that are raised without cages. However, unlike their cage-free friends, these hens also have ample access to the outdoors during the day to roam freely. They spend a significant amount of time outdoors, where they can forage on grass, insects, seeds and other natural foods
This more varied diet, along with regular sunlight exposure, results in eggs that contain higher levels of certain nutrients compared with eggs from hens kept indoors and fed primarily grain,
they are richer in omega-3 fatty acids: pasture-raised hens’ more varied, natural diet helps them produce eggs with a more nutritious fat profile. Compared with caged hens, hens with unlimited access to fresh pasture produce eggs with higher amounts of omega-3 fats.
High omega-3 content is important because most of us don’t consume enough of these beneficial fats, which support heart, brain and immune health. Yet we tend to over consume omega-6 fats. While our bodies need some omega-6s, consuming too many of them throws the body’s balance of omega-3s to omega-6s out of whack. Some researchers suspect this imbalance may promote inflammation and lead to the development of chronic illnesses, such as heart disease. Pasture-raised eggs have half as many omega-6 fatty acids as those from hens raised on commercial feed.
They contain more antioxidants, compounds that act like shields to protect your cells from damage.As a result, antioxidants support overall cellular health.. Pasture-raised eggs contain higher levels of antioxidants like carotenoids (beta-carotene, lutein), plus more vitamin E and other micronutrients than the commercial ones
Pasture-raised eggs are richer in certain vitamins. In addition to vitamin E, they have also been shown to have more vitamin A, a fat-soluble vitamin that helps with immunity, vision and reducing inflammation in the body. Because pasture-raised hens get more sun exposure, they also have higher amounts of vitamin D, a vitamin that isn’t naturally found in many foods yet is essential for bone, heart and immune health
The egg yolks are darker and shells are stronger in pastured eggs vs the commercial ones
These are benefits of pasture raised eggs are:
• 1/3 less cholesterol
• ¼ less saturated fat
• 2/3 time more vitamin A
• 2 or more times the omega-3 fatty acids
• 3 times more vitamin E
• 7 times more beta-carotene