Back in the good old days when you needed eggs to serve for breakfast, you were able to tell someone to pick up a carton of eggs for you and they would know just you wanted. It's a bit more complicated these days with so many types of chicken eggs available at your local grocery store. From free range eggs to omega 3 enriched ones, the world of eggs has never been more confusing. Which type of egg is right for you and your family?
Brown eggs
Somewhere along the way the rumor was started that brown eggs are more nutritious than their white counterparts. This is actually a myth. Both types of chicken eggs are similar nutritionally with both being high in protein and low in calories and fat. Certain breeds of chickens lay white eggs while other breeds lay brown and despite the fact that brown eggs tend to be more expensive, their nutritional values are similar.
Free range eggs
There's a growing demand for free range eggs in this country which make these eggs more expensive than standard ones. Cage free eggs come from chickens that have had access to fresh air and sunshine rather than being confined to a small, dark cage. To make sure you're getting eggs from chickens that have truly had free range access, look for the American Humane Association logo on the carton or the seal of United Egg Producers.
Organic eggs
When it comes to types of chicken eggs, there's a great deal of confusion regarding what constitutes an organic one. Many people assume that organic means that the chickens have been reared in a cage free environment. This isn't necessarily the case. Organic simply means the chickens have been given an exclusively organic diet without added hormones. Antibiotics are allowed only when there's evidence of infection or disease. Because the chickens haven't been challenged with hormones, they're likely to be a healthier alternative to traditional eggs although their nutritional profile is similar to standard eggs. Unfortunately, they also are going to cost you more at the supermarket when compared to other types of chicken eggs.
Omega-3 enhanced eggs
Omega-3 enhanced eggs are derived from chickens given a diet of fish oils and flaxseed. This causes the yolks of the eggs to contain anywhere from four to six times the level of omega-3 fatty acids found in a standard egg. With all the positive health benefits of omega-3's being published, the demand for these eggs is growing, although you should be able to get even greater benefits from eating fatty fish or taking a fish oil supplement on a daily basis.
Now that you know the different types of chicken eggs available to you, you can better select the one that meets the needs of you and your family.
