I'm not a dietitian. I'm not a doctor. I'm not a scientist. But I will tell you what I believe to be true: whole eggs are delicious, nutritious, and are a translation of all the goodness in the world.I must qualify this: I get my eggs from the farmer's market (Creekside Farm and Orchard in WV). I'm not trying to sound all uppity about this, but industrialized eggs cannot even come close to the goodness found in an egg from a healthy and happy hen. I've had the pleasure of meeting some of these girls. They're broads. Happy chickens full of attitude and spunk.
Like I said above, eggs are a translation of all the goodness in the world. If the sun is shining, the grass is growing, and the hen is free to go hunting for bugs, the sun, the grass, and the bugs will all be present in the egg in nutrient form. You see, eggs are more than just sitting down and popping one out. They require great effort to produce within the hen (25 hours from start to finish!). Each layer of the egg is a commentary on the health of a chicken. If she is healthy, the egg will be healthy. It's really quite amazing.
Through the 1970s and 1980s (and even now) people were afraid of the cholesterol in eggs--that they weren't heart healthy. As always, we love to vilify one type of food (carbs! fat! oh noes!!) without knowing the whole picture. You see, cholesterol in an egg does not equal cholesterol in the blood. And I've even read claims that chickens that are pasture raised (i.e. spend lots of time roaming in the grasses) have one third the cholesterol of an industrial egg (among other health benefits).
I pay $4.50 for a dozen eggs. I know that not everyone can afford that. I also know that the cost of a dozen pasture-raised eggs will be cheaper the closer you are to the farm. So poke around and try to find them. I beg of you -- support the deindustrialization of the chicken egg. Not only will these birds live better lives, but we'll see the quality in our cooking and in our overall health.And if you are afraid of carbs and love french toast, try putting a touch cinnamon in your scrambled eggs. You can thank me later :)
9 comments
I know eggsactly what you mean. :)
ReplyHonestly, I think that's true of all 'whole' foods. The processed version just doesn't compare. I eat as much of that as possible now, but for the most part it will have to wait until I have more money. :-)
ReplyI've stopped saying "whole" foods -- mainly because you can still find processed crap at the store of the same name. I have switched over to saying "wholesome." I think it coveys the idea that a whole food is good for you and the world in general.
ReplyI think it's also important to note that as you increase the quality of the food, it's okay to decrease the quantity. Most people have issues with overeating. Being mindful of my budget has helped me decrease portion sizes and plan better.
LOL @ lainie as that was my comment too.
Replyso read hers and know we consume a lot of eggs up in herre, too.
Miz.
Now that's an endorsement!
ReplyThanks so much for this testament to the value of free ranging chicken eggs. I have a bunch of chickens who roam free during the day and produce beautiful eggs - green, blue, brown and white ones. I sell them at our farmers market, but people complain that $3.50 a dozen is too much because they can get eggs for $1.00 a dozen at Aldis.
ReplyOne reason eggs from really free range chickens are more expensive is that I lose some to predators - hawks, coyotes, even raccoons and possums will kill my hens if my livestock guardian dog is having an off day.
My chickens are my friends, they have names, and when I walk out the door, they all come running to great me and see if I have any treats for them (on really cold winter days, I make them hot oatmeal with molasses in it - they love it!.)
So thanks for buying eggs from people who let their hens run free. :)
We're lucky in that my in-laws have a farm with something like 30 chickens that just wander the lands -- tasty eggs send home with us. It's amazing how resilient and tasty farm eggs are; for the longest time I believed that an egg was an egg, and then I had to turn around and buy eggs at the store.
ReplyNevermind that shenanigans.
That said, she was selling them at her local farmers market for... I like $3/dozen, and people apparently complained so much that she stopped after a while.
I want to visit!!! I think it's really interesting that only certain breeds lay certain colors. I mean, it's kinda obvious to many people (like why is a robin's egg blue?) but I never thought it applied to chickens.
ReplyI think $0.38 (in my case) or $0.29 (in your case) is too much to pay for something so nutrious and wonderful. I think if anything it's a bargain.
Thank you, Beth, for letting your chickies live will and for sharing their bounty.
You ever notice that people want good food for cheap? I say pay for quality whole ingredients and lay off the crap. That's where the money in your budget is. Stop buying soda. Get good eggs.
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<3 Robby