Pee-jay ♥'s Organic Eggs

A short and simple post today about my love for eggs. Here are four ways eggs can enhance your health:

1. Eggs are an excellent source of low-cost, high-quality protein. One large egg provides more than 6 grams of protein, yet contains only 75 calories. And the protein is "complete," providing all nine of the body's essential amino acids.
2. Eggs are one of the best sources of choline. Found primarily in the egg yolk, one large egg provides 30% of the recommended daily allowance of this essential nutrient, which plays an important role in brain health and the reduction of inflammation. Many people are deficient in choline, which is found in trace amounts of many different foods. 
3. Eggs are a great food for those trying to lose weight. Because of the high amount of quality protein in eggs, they make a very satisfying breakfast, which is especially useful for people trying to lose weight. In one study published in the Journal of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (2007), subjects following low-fat, calorie-restricted diets were randomly assigned to one of two breakfasts: a bagel or two eggs. After eight weeks, the egg eaters experienced 65% greater weight loss, 83% greater decrease in waist circumference, and a greater improvement in energy levels compared to the bagel-eating group. Also worth mentioning is that changes in plasma cholesterol and triglycerides did not differ significantly between the two groups. Researchers postulated that eating eggs for breakfast enhanced weight loss by increasing satiety, resulting in better adherence to a reduced-calorie diet. 
4. Eggs protect eyesight. Egg yolks contain a highly absorbable form of vision-protective carotenoids like lutein and zeaxanthin, which help to prevent age-related macular degeneration and cataracts. Studies published in the Journal of Nutrition showed that eggs increased blood levels of these nutrients without increasing cholesterol or triglyceride levels.

With the increasing choice of designer eggs in our food store shelves, the choice for what type of eggs are best can be a little confusin:

• Cage Free, Free Range, Pastured, and Pasture Raised, Vegetarian? You may feel like you're doing a good deed by purchasing eggs with one or more of these terms on the package. But in truth, these labels really don’t mean a whole lot, as there are no rules or regulations about using these terms.

• Omega-3 Enhanced eggs: When is an egg not just an egg? When it's engineered to contain Omega-3s. The hens that lay these eggs eat a diet rich in Omega-3s, which includes algae or flaxseed. The eggs they lay contain higher Omega-3 content but taste like regular eggs. These eggs may help contribute to your intake of essential fatty acids, but they don’t contain enough to make up for a diet that is otherwise low in Omega-3s.  

•  Certified Organic: These hens that lay these eggs are cage-free, have outdoor access, and eat a 100% organic and vegetarian diet. Organic eggs that earn a seal from the USDA or a similar Australian regulatory must come from hens that were not subjected to antibiotics, hormones, pesticides or herbicides, as well as the food that they ate. Fewer toxins and pesticides make for a healthier environment, as well as happier chickens. (These are the type that I pick up). They are usually a few more dollars per dozen but skipping one takeaway coffee a week will surely cover the difference between toxic and non-toxic eggs. AND you are endorsing the happy & healthy environment for the chickens that produce the eggs. Peace & harmony for everyone-including the chickens.

Over and out
love from pee-jay