The Benefits of Eating Cage-Free Eggs
Today’s grocery stores offer a number of different egg options, including cage-free eggs. With major companies like McDonald’s, Starbucks and Costco phasing out eggs produced using caged hens, it seems that many businesses are attempting to be more conscientious about where their food comes from.
Cage-free and organic eggs in Eau Claire, WI are a great choice for the conscientious consumer. Here are the top reasons to buy cage-free eggs:
- The hens are raised more humanely: In factory farms, hens are placed in 8.5”x11” cages—the size of a sheet of printer paper—which doesn’t allow them to stand up and stretch their wings. In contrast, cage-free farms are just that. The hens are allowed to walk around their enclosure with unlimited access to food and water. This can sometimes result in hen-on-hen violence, but it’s better than the alternative—caged hens have brittle bones from the lack of exercise, excessive feather loss and abrasions from rubbing up against the sides of the cage. They’re also under constant emotional distress, since they’re unable to perform instinctive functions such as taking dust baths, laying their eggs in a nest and foraging for food. After their productive lifespan is over, they’re “depopulated”—meaning that they are used to make food for other animals.
- Safer when it comes to disease: Caged hens are 25 times more likely to contract salmonella as opposed to cage-free hens—in fact, caged hens are more likely to contract a number of other diseases thanks to the conditions in which they’re raised.
- Vote with your wallet: When you make an effort to purchase only cage-free eggs, you’re voting with your wallet—that is, you’re supporting the industry practices you want to see continue. The more people do so, the bigger the impact you can make.
- They have additional health benefits: Studies have shown that cage-free eggs in Eau Claire, WI have even more of the nutrients that make eggs so great. This includes protein, choline (which reduces the risk of breast cancer), lutein and zeaxanthin (great for eye health) and sulfur (promotes healthy skin and nails). Considering that eggs are already a protein-rich, low-calorie food, it’s easy to maintain a nutrient-dense, healthy diet.
As you can see, making the effort to buy cage-free, organic eggs doesn’t just benefit you. It has an impact on the entire food ecosystem, starting with the hens who lay the eggs we love so much. By improving their conditions, you’re making a conscious choice to treat animals and yourself better. Plus, organic eggs just taste great!
Get cage-free eggs in Eau Claire, WI
Mother Nature’s Food has been serving the Eau Claire area since 1971. We offer a wide variety of natural and organic foods, along with supplements, natural beauty products, essential oils and more. If you want to live life more healthfully, you’ll find everything you need in one convenient location. Stop by today to pick up some organic eggs, and be sure to ask our friendly staff for their favorite recommendations.
Categorised in: Natural Products