Health benefits of farm fresh eggs

An interesting, and important, addendum to my last post on the delicious, nutritious egg:

Today, as I do nearly every Thursday afternoon, I visited my local farmer’s market. I arrived right as it opened, because the pasture-raised eggs by Skagit River Ranch are the first things to go. These eggs are laid by hens that live in the thick pasture eating grasses, greens and grubs…just as nature intended them to do. The yolks are a rich bright orange from all the beta carotene the hens get from eating grass. I chatted with Eiko, the farmer, as I picked up my weekly dozen (along with a pound of the best hamburger I have ever tasted) and she told me something very interesting. Skagit River Ranch recently analyzed their eggs  for omega-3 content. I was delightfully shocked that these pasture-raised hens were producing eggs with 21 times the amount of omega-3 fatty acids as commercial eggs!

Remember, omega-3 fatty acids are one of two essential fatty acids that your body can’t produce itself. Linoleic acid, or omega-6, is the second essential fatty acid. For optimal health, it appears we need the proper ratio of these essential fatty acids. An excess of omega-6s are associated with chronic degenerative diseases because they increase inflammation, constrict blood vessels, and increase platelet aggregation among many other things. Omega-3s have the opposite effect; they decrease inflammation, dilate blood vessels, decrease platelet aggregation, etc. Too much of either of these fatty acids isn’t a good thing. They work in concert with one another to achieve a healthy balance within these physiological processes.

The problem is that the Standard American Diet has a dangerously high ratio of omega- 6:omega-3. Our ancestors had an omega-6 to omega-3 ratio of 1:1 to 1:4. In comparison, today the average ratio is 20:1 to 30:1!!

Part of this problem is caused by our high consumption of refined oils, like corn oil and safflower oil, which is in most processed foods and fried foods.

Most people are not aware of another important piece of this problem: Grass-fed animals (wild or domestic) naturally have low omega-6 to omega-3 ratios because the grass they are eating contains omega-3s (ALL leafy greens have lots of omega-s). By feeding our domestic animals (cows, pigs, chickens, even farm-raised fish) grain-based foods high in omega-6s (corn, soybeans), we dramatically and negatively alter their omega-6 to omega-3 ratio. And if their ratios are bad, yours will be, too. You are what you eat, folks.

Choosing eggs from local, pasture-raised hens is a super healthy choice.

Supporting your local producers is good for your health, and good for the health of the environment.

Find a Farmer’s Market near you. http://www.ams.usda.gov/farmersmarkets/map.htm
Find pasture-raised eggs near you. http://www.eatwild.com/products/index.html

Get cracking!
Jess