Wednesday, September 26, 2012

Can You Guess...

Which eggs came from the store, and which came from our backyard chickens?


Hint: the ones from the store are huge and pale...

Did you know that eggs, when they are laid, are protected by "bloom," which dries and adheres to the eggshell until it is washed or rubbed off?  The bloom helps seal up the microscopic pores in the eggshell, protecting the contents from dust, dirt, bacteria, and other things that you probably don't want in your omelette.  It also helps keep the egg fresh for extended lengths of time, even at room temperature, by blocking oxygen from entering the egg.  Grocery store eggs have their bloom washed off.

Did you know that eggs from pastured chickens (who eat plenty of green, growing grass), can have 400% more omega-3 fatty acids than store-bought eggs, 40% more Vitamin A, and 30% more Vitamin E?

Sources: Comparison of Egg Nutrition Values, Mother Earth News

University of Illinois Department of Animal Sciences, "What is Egg Shell Quality and How to Preserve It"

Posted at Barn Hop and Monday Mania

2 comments:

  1. Great post! I just found your blog through The Homestead Revival. I hope I can persuade you to link up to my Farm Girl Blog Fest: http://fresh-eggs-daily.blogspot.com/2012/09/farm-girl-friday-blog-fest-2.html

    ReplyDelete
  2. Wow - that side by side comparison is amazing! I've started a new blog hop if you would like to join this week: http://www.simplejoyfulliving.com/2012/10/backyard-farming-connection-hop-2.html

    ReplyDelete

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