I discovered a few things while grocery shopping this month. The first is that stores get ready for holidays way too early. Apparently the Easter items were put on the shelves the day after Valentines Day. I know very few people who are looking to purchase Easter paraphernalia that early. Why neglect all the other holidays in between?

While being bombarded with Easter items I remembered that I needed to buy eggs. This is where I made my second discovery of how truly diverse eggs really are.

I always knew eggs could be cooked in a hundred different ways, and were a staple part of millions of recipes. However, I did not know there were so many types of eggs themselves. Maybe this is because I don’t usually pay much attention to the egg section, or maybe it’s because it was my first time purchasing eggs at a health foods store. For whatever reason I have only recently discovered that eggs come in many different varieties. I’m sure this is not new news to many of you, but I found it interesting. So now we all get to learn more about eggs.

Standard eggs are the most common. These are the conventional eggs found in any supermarket that come from caged chickens. Usually your cheapest bet, but they’re still very nutritious.

Vegetarian Eggs come from hens that have only been fed plant products. No animal by-products.

Pasteurized Shell Eggs have been processed with heat to kill any potential salmonella. The risk of salmonella is small, but if you’re using raw eggs in a recipe this might be a good alternative. The only thing to note is that the heating process may deplete some vitamins.

Cage-Free Eggs are from hens that are still housed in a facility, but they don’t live in cages. They are allowed to nest naturally, and to be protected from the seasonal and environmental elements while still producing enough eggs.

(Cage-Free are actually the type of eggs I bought because they were on sale.
Did I feel healthier and more humane? No, not really. Was I healthier and
more humane? Maybe.)

Free-Range Eggs are from hes that are free to go indoors of outdoors. This may affect the amount of eggs they lay due to weather conditions. This may seem like the best alternative, but the eggs are usually lower quality because their feeding habits are not monitored.

Brown Eggs are actually just standard eggs. According to the Egg Nutrition Board, “White shelled eggs are produced by hens with white feathers and ear lobes. Brown shelled eggs are produced by hens with red feathers and red ear lobes. There is no difference in taste or nutrition between white and brown eggs.” Apparently the brown cost more because those breeds of chickens eat more.

Ok, so bottom line. Eggs are good for you no matter what kind you buy. Free-range may not have as much nutritional value, but that will just depend on the chicken. You can also get nutrient enhanced eggs for increased health benefits. Keep in mind that every egg is a good source of protein, Vitamin B2, and many other nutrients. As far as eating white or yokes just remember that it is all good for you, but if you’re watching your weight then you may just want to stick with the whites. If you still have questions about eggs then check out this site:

http://www.aeb.org/