On the Sunny Side: Organic Eggs

Organic eggs are some of the tastiest and most filling around.

According to Michelle Kaylock who recently switched to organic eggs, “After consuming a plate of delicious organic eggs, I felt not only full but also satisfied knowing that the eggs were pure.  When they are scrambled with milk, they create a fluffy texture.  They taste different…I don’t know, fresher?  The kids devoured them.”

“The eggs look and feel more dense.  They are even a richer color before and after they are cooked,” says consumer Beverly Hitchcock.  “I’ve had them scrambled, fried, poached, in omelettes…all kinds of ways.  And they make baked goods richer, too.”

Organic eggs are laid from hens that may be kept in any kind of caging system, but generally, are cage free. The hens eat organic feed and are not given vaccines or antibiotics.

In order to qualify for USDA organic certification, the grains used for the hens’ diets must be produced on land free from use of toxic and persistent chemical pesticides and fertilizers for at least three years.

Genetically engineered crops are not permitted, and hens must be maintained without hormones, antibiotics and other drugs.

While some grocery stores claim to sell organic eggs, the method of keeping the chickens are not necessarily verified.  Choosing eggs from local farmers makes it easier to identify actual organic eggs and other foods.

Companies such as Wintergreen Organics and Naturals screen products to ensure they are truly organic and of the best quality.

Katherine Gotthardt, writer for Wintergreen Organics & Naturals