An egg A Day- How to Read Egg Carton Labels
An Egg a Day and How To Decode Labels on the Carton
Barring any allergies, an egg can be a very nutritionally dense food. A recently published study, out of the University of Finland may bring some hope for egg-lovers. The study shows that an egg a day did not have a significant effect on blood cholesterol levels of genetically susceptible individuals. You can read the study byclicking here.
If you are on a egg-restricted diet, we suggest you check in with your physician, nutritionist or other healthcare provider. Otherwise, go ahead and enjoy this nutritionally dense food. If you are introducing this into your diet for the first time, do not forget to check with your doctor or pharmacist to be sure it does not interfere with your medications.
When buying eggs, the labels on the cartons can be very confusing ranging from Farm Fresh to Cage Free to Free Range. Additional labels include All Natural, Organic, Certified Humane, Pasture-Raised and Pasteurized…the list goes on. There is an excellent article ion NPR.org breaking down the different labels and the details of what each one means.You can read it here.
So which one should you buy? My preference is to buy Organic or Certified Humane or Pasture-Raised (different from pasteurized) or better yet, from your local Farmer’s Market. Many regular grocery stores (not just Whole Foods:)) carries these with prices anywhere from $4-$6/dozen. The extra$$ it costs to avoid the hormone/antiobiotic containing eggs from conventional brands,will pay for itself over time:) There is also the chance that you may fall for the taste of these “non-conventional/industrially raised” eggs. Who said healthy cannot be yummy? So enjoy that egg but know what you are getting.