9 Egg Labels You Should Know For Your Next Trip To The Grocer’s
If you've ever stood in bewilderment at the wide range of labels on eggs at the supermarket, then you're not alone. There are various terms that give you a hint of how the eggs were raised and this is solely for the purpose of suiting people's preferences. So, it's left to you to understand these labels and then choose which fits your personal preference.
In this article, we take a brief look at common labels you might find on your eggs so you never have to be confused about which is the best for you.
1. Cage-free: This refers to eggs produced by chickens that don't live in cages but in barns. This prevents the chickens from being able to supplement their diets with natural foods — worms, seeds, insects, and tiny plants.
2. Free-range: The eggs in this case are produced by chickens that live in barns and have some access to outside conditions but may not necessarily gain access to natural dietary sources.
3. RSPCA Approved: This is a voluntary standard that egg farms can apply to participate in. Under it, farms are audited according to the RSPCA’s standards on indoor and outdoor systems for hens.
4. Natural: This is sometimes interchanged with organic. It simply means that the chickens are fed food with no additional ingredients added such as coloring or flavorings.
5. Hormone-Free: No hormones are used in the egg industry and all eggs are hormone-free.
6. Vitamin-D enriched: An average serving of two eggs provides 82% of the recommended daily intake of vitamin D, so it’s safe to say that all eggs are an excellent source of Vitamin-D.
7. Certified Organic: These eggs are produced by chickens that are fed an organic, all-vegetarian diet free of animal byproducts, synthetic fertilizers, pesticides and other chemical additives.
8. Omega-3 enriched: This means additional omega-3s are included in the chicken feed in order to elevate the omega-3 level of the eggs. It should be noted that omega-3 enriched eggs have shorter shelf life than non-enriched ones.
9. Farm Fresh: last but not least is this marketing term. It is only used to emphasise the freshness of the eggs. It is not a farming system.
Now you can find your favourite at the supermarket without worries!
