Eggs are considered a super food in the Paleo diet. They have so many benefits, one being they are one of the best sources of a complete protein you can get from any food. I’m sure you’ve heard pasturized, omega-3 enriched, organic,cage-free and free-range….but whats the difference?
A pasturized egg goes through a heating process to kill off bacteria and food bourne illness without actually cooking the egg. These types of eggs are used in recipes that call for raw eggs such as salad dressing. They are available at the grocery store, but arent to common.
An omega-3 enriched egg is when the hen is fed a diet in high soybean oil and fish meal to increase the DHA and EPA of the eggs it lays. The problem with this is chickens arent meant to eat that kind of food, they live and perform there best with bugs and grass, not grains like theyre being fed. The Omega-3 is found in the yolk of the egg
Organic eggs come from hens fed with organic pestiside free feed. They have to have access to the outdoors and can’t be confined to a cage. They are not allow to be given antibiotics, unless there is an infectous outbreak.
Cage-free eggs. Although they’re labeled “cage free” this doesn’t mean the chicken is actually out roaming around the outdoors, alot of times they live on the floor packed into a factory farm warehoue or barn. They are still being fed grains and corn.
A Free-range egg comes from chickens that have access to the outdoors. They live off of eating the insects and grass that they get themselves. Yolks tend to be a little darker or more orange due to there higher nutrient content from the hens diet. This is the most humane living for the chickens and most healthy for us.
Some of these rules for each type are subject to change due to the government changing rules all the time.
Go free-range whenever possible. Avoid factory farm chickens, as they are fed grains and antibiotics.
Eggs are an excellent source of protein, they are a low-cost food and they are full of healthy fats. Get crackin’!
If you have any questions please email us at info@paleoforpower.com and we’d be happy to answer your questions in an upcoming post!