Farm Fresh Eggs Are Safer than Commercial Eggs

A recent study from the British Government has revealed that organic laying hen farms have a significantly lower level of Salmonella, a bacteria that is one of the most common forms of food poisoning worldwide.

The British Soil Association study showed that 23.4 per cent of farms with caged hens tested positive for salmonella compared to 4.4 per cent in organic flocks and 6.5 per cent in free-range flocks. The highest rate of salmonella occurred in the largest holding size of 30,000 birds or more.

Some commercial egg operations have as many as half a million birds. Most of these cages house four or five birds, each with about as much room as an letter size sheet of paper. In contrast, animals on organic farms must have access to outdoor ranges and pasture, with an emphasis on enabling the animals to express their natural behaviour. Unlike intensively reared birds, organic chickens can’t be given routine doses of antibiotics which weaken the animal’s natural immune system so increasing reliance on drugs, as well as being linked to creating antibiotic resistant ‘superbugs’ with serious human health implications.

Research confirms yet again that the cramped, windowless, unnatural conditions these animals are forced to endure have serious health implications for humans as well. Salmonella food poisoning can be avoided through proper cooking of eggs and meat, but purchasing free-range organic eggs will definitely reduce your risks.

In addition, the health benfits of organic, free-range eggs are many times greater than commercial eggs.

Eggs are one of the healthiest foods in the world.

From the November 2007 issue of Mother Earth News the results from their second egg testing project was published. The results showed that compared to official U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) nutrient data for commercial eggs, eggs from hens raised on pasture contained:

1⁄3 less cholesterol
1⁄4 less saturated fat
2⁄3 more vitamin A
2 times more omega-3 fatty acids
3 times more vitamin E
7 times more beta carotene

When deciding what kind of eggs to buy, Dr. Mercola recommends avoiding eggs that are labeled as omega-3 eggs. The quality and freshness of these eggs has shown to be poor, making them even LESS healthy than regular commercial eggs.

From they grocery store, eggs labeled Free-Range Organic are a good purchase. The best eggs are those purchased directly from a local farmer, where freshness and quality are highest.

We love having our own chickens that provide such wonderful eggs for our family and also for friends who purchase eggs from us.

Sources:

Natural Choices, February 2008
Mother Earth News, Nov. 2007
Dr. Mercola, February 2008