Whether you like them scrambled with cheese and vegetables, fried sunny side up atop a juicy burger, or mixed into a batter for those ooey-gooey chocolate chip cookies, eggs are one of the most versatile and beloved ingredients that you can eat for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or dessert. It's no wonder that an average American consumes over 260 eggs each year!
With all these terms like cage free, organic, and free range to describe different types of eggs, consumers are undoubtedly confused about the true origins of their eggs. This past weekend, I had an opportunity to visit Handsome Brook Farm, one of the leading producers of pasture-raised eggs, where I got to learn about the most humane way to raise chickens from co-owners Betsy and Bryan Babcock, and sample rich tasting eggs with the highest nutritional value. Without further ado, here are top reasons why YOU should start eating more nutritious and delicious pasture-raised eggs that promote happier, healthier chickens.
1. Pasture-raised eggs promote animal welfare
While big brands like McDonald's and Starbucks have recently made a step toward ending cruel farming practices by announcing their plan to use only cage-free eggs, most consumers don't realize that cage-free eggs are produced by chickens that live in cramped conditions with limited ability to move and little to no access to outdoors.
...and that's where pasture-raised eggs come into play. Unlike cage free, free roaming, or free range eggs that belie the truth about the condition of the hens, pasture-raised eggs are exactly what they claim to be. Handsome Brook Farm partners with farms throughout the U.S. to provide customers across the country with fresh eggs laid by hens raised on lush, green pasture, not cooped up in tiny cages or huddled by the thousands in "cage free" warehouses.
2. Chickens that lay pasture-raised eggs are much happier
A day-in-the-life of Handsome Brook Farm chickens begins just before daylight when they are let out of a spacious barn to forage for bugs, nest on perches, bathe in dust, or feed on grass, seeds, and insects. The chickens spend majority of their day outside to socialize with other farm animals, relax in the sun or shade, and lay eggs in the barn. At night, they return to the barn on their own to sleep until the next morning. Each chicken at Handsome Brook Farm is given over 108 square feet of outdoor space to exhibit normal chicken behaviors.
3. Pasture-raised eggs are more nutritious than caged, cage-free, or organic eggs
Happier chickens mean healthier eggs, and healthier eggs mean happier and healthier consumers. Because pasture-raised hens have a naturally healthy diet from foraging outside in the fresh air, they also produce more nutritious eggs that have lower cholesterol and fat, more vitamin A, D, and E, higher levels of omega-3 fatty acids, and higher levels of carotene. Additionally, eggs from Handsome Brook Farm are hormone and antibiotic free. Don't you already feel healthier reading about it?
4. Pasture-raised eggs simply taste better
Sure, you shouldn't judge a book by its cover, but when it comes to eggs, you can judge the taste of an egg by its look. Pasture-raised eggs have brighter, more orange-yellow yolks and thicker whites that result from the chicken's healthy diet. The eggs are extremely rich in flavor, creamy in texture, and overall have fuller, "eggier" flavor profile. When used for baking, the eggs produce lighter texture and fresher taste in muffins and cakes.
5. You can easily buy them at leading grocery stores
With an increasing awareness on humane, ethical way to produce eggs, more and more distributors carry pasture-raised eggs in their shops. You can find these delicious, nutritious eggs at grocery stores like Whole Foods, Wegmans, Kroger, or Harris Teeter. Too busy to go grocery shopping? Find them online via Fresh Direct or Peapod.
6. If a picture is worth a thousand words, then a video is worth a million
Our 2024 Coverage Needs You
It's Another Trump-Biden Showdown — And We Need Your Help
The Future Of Democracy Is At Stake
Our 2024 Coverage Needs You
Your Loyalty Means The World To Us
As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.
Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our news free for all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
The 2024 election is heating up, and women's rights, health care, voting rights, and the very future of democracy are all at stake. Donald Trump will face Joe Biden in the most consequential vote of our time. And HuffPost will be there, covering every twist and turn. America's future hangs in the balance. Would you consider contributing to support our journalism and keep it free for all during this critical season?
HuffPost believes news should be accessible to everyone, regardless of their ability to pay for it. We rely on readers like you to help fund our work. Any contribution you can make — even as little as $2 — goes directly toward supporting the impactful journalism that we will continue to produce this year. Thank you for being part of our story.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
It's official: Donald Trump will face Joe Biden this fall in the presidential election. As we face the most consequential presidential election of our time, HuffPost is committed to bringing you up-to-date, accurate news about the 2024 race. While other outlets have retreated behind paywalls, you can trust our news will stay free.
But we can't do it without your help. Reader funding is one of the key ways we support our newsroom. Would you consider making a donation to help fund our news during this critical time? Your contributions are vital to supporting a free press.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our journalism free and accessible to all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.
Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our news free for all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
Dear HuffPost Reader
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. Would you consider becoming a regular HuffPost contributor?
Dear HuffPost Reader
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. If circumstances have changed since you last contributed, we hope you'll consider contributing to HuffPost once more.
Support HuffPostAlready contributed? Log in to hide these messages.