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MGM Pastured Free-Range Farm Fresh Eggs Why Buy Pastured Free-Range Farm Fresh Eggs Today's food is about far more than fuel. Today's grocery shoppers are concerned about how the food we eat tastes, the nutrition it provides, how it affects the animals that produce it, and the impact it has on the natural world. For all these reasons, it makes sense to buy cage-free, farm-fresh eggs. Here's what you need to know. What are Pastured, Free-Range, Farm-Fresh Eggs? Understanding the terms "pastured," "free range" and "farm fresh" is important. With the right knowledge, consumers can ensure they're getting the best value for their money. "Free range" means that hens are not confined to cages, but can move around as they desire. "Pastured" means that hens are raised outside in the fresh air, with access to sunlight, earth, and the type of diet they'd naturally consume (though they should also have access to a barn or other covered area in case of bad weather." "Farm fresh," while not legally defined in the United States, usually means hens are raised on small, local farms rather than by huge corporate egg plants. Better Taste Those who have tried cage-free eight know that they simply taste better than "standard" eggs. Pastured chickens are raised in a more natural environment, where they can move around, produce fewer stress hormones. Stress hormones make their way into the eggs and create fishy, rancid, or otherwise "off" flavors. Unstressed chickens, by contrast, produce eggs with a rich, creamy texture simply not found in cage-produced eggs. These eggs also have a deeper, more golden yellow yolk, which makes them more enjoyable to cook and eat. Better Nutrition Cage-free eggs are also far healthier than cage-produced eggs. All eggs contain the highest-quality protein known to exist, but cage-free eggs also contain far higher amounts of heart-healthy Omega 3 fatty acids (the same healthy compounds found in fatty fish like tuna and salmon). The difference is diet. Farm-raised, cage-free hens have a better quality diet, one that is closer to what their ancestors and wild cousins would naturally eat. Thus, they produce far more healthy Omega 3 fats than their caged counterparts (who are largely fed low-quality corn and soy) are able to. For the Chickens Cage-free is simply better for hens. Caged egg hens spend their entire lives in cages no larger than a sheet of paper, never seeing sunlight, not able to move, and not able to participate in any of the normal behaviors they would exhibit in the wild. Some are subjected to horrific treatment (such as beak docking and forced molting) in order to increase their egg production at the cost of their health. Cage free hens have happier lives. They can move around, scratch, peck, preen, and roost exactly the way nature intended these intelligent, sensitive birds to do. Consumers can enjoy their eggs knowing they haven't contributed to animal cruelty. For the Environment When most people think of "pollution," they think of cars. The reality, however, is that the animal food industry produces more pollution than all humankind's vehicles combined. Large-scale operations dump thousands of tons of carbon dioxide into the air each year, as well as contaminating soil and water with animal waste. That's why it's better for consumers to buy their eggs at small, local farms. These farms are small enough to use what waste their hens produce for compost, rather than dumping it into the environment. They also require less fuel to move their products to market, which also reduces their carbon footprint. Final Thoughts Humanely-raised, pastured, free-range farm-fresh eggs are available most of the year at local farmers markets. They may cost a bit more than industrial cage-produced eggs, but the investment is worth it. These eggs taste better, are better for you, are better for animals, and are better for the earth. Order Pastured Free-Range Farm Fresh Eggs from MGM Orchard today.
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