All About Eggs: 5 Fun Facts
Just a few more days before Easter, and the tradition of Easter egg hunts can begin! Once you’ve hard-boiled and dyed your eggs using all-natural colors, you’ll find yourself with quite a few eggs to use up in all variety of recipes, like egg salad, egg sandwiches or deviled eggs. And while you might fear their rumored cholesterol level, don’t! Eggs are a healthy addition to your diet, as long as you know how to choose them. Thanks in part to Whole Foods Market, we have five fun egg facts to share with you to help you make your decision!
1. Sunlight Makes for Happy Chickens
The eggs sold at Whole Foods markets come from cage-free chickens that have been given at least 16 hours of light daily, a majority of which is natural sunlight. When you consider how much cheerier everyone is now that spring has sprung and the days are getting longer, it’s no wonder that these chickens are happier, and happy chickens lay better eggs!
2. Color Doesn’t Matter
Some seem to believe that brown eggs are more natural or that white eggs are bleached to give them their purer flavor. Others swear that brown eggs taste better. The fact of the matter is, the only difference in color comes from the breed of the hen that laid the egg. Other than this, there is no difference. Choose white eggs for dying; the colors will shine through better, especially if you’re using natural dyes. And throughout the year, buy whichever eggs you like better.
3. Organic Eggs are Organic Through and Through
Organic eggs come from chickens raised on organic feed. These chickens must also live in cage-free conditions to be considered truly organic. Happy, well-fed chickens bring you the best possible eggs. Those that are fed organic flax seed have increased levels of omega-3 fatty acids, important nutrients for a complete diet.
4. Nutritional Powerhouses
One large egg has only about 70 calories and 6 grams of protein, making eggs a filling, healthy snack. The cholesterol and fat in eggs are located in the yolks, so combining yolks and egg whites is a good way to lighten up egg dishes if you’re worried about cholesterol. That being said, if four eggs or fewer are consumed in a week, no effect on heart health has been proven to exist, so eat up! … in moderation, of course.
5. The Chicken (or Duck or Quail or Goose…) and the Egg
Chicken eggs may be the most common form of egg to find in American supermarkets, but they are far from being the only kind of egg you can try. Duck eggs are widely available in Chinese grocery stores, and tiny quail eggs can be found in gourmet supermarkets selling French products. Each egg has a different composition of fat and protein, and thus a different flavor. Try a few, and discover your favorite.
