Egg Labels

Eggs may be marketed under labels such as no special label, cage-free, free-range, and pasture-raised. Egg grades (A, AA, B) reflect shell appearance and yolk consistency, not the health of the chicken or the nutritional quality of the egg. Pasture-raised eggs are identified as the preferred label because hens get more outdoor access and a more natural diet. The free-range label only requires that hens are not caged with potentially minimal outdoor access and no required on-site inspection. Pasteurized eggs are heat-treated for shelf life and are not the same as pasture-raised eggs. Most egg label terms encountered in a store are either meaningless or actively misleading. Pasture-raised and organic together are the two labels that matter most for health. Cage-free is the most misleading egg label because cage-free chickens are still likely housed entirely indoors. Cage-free and vegetarian-fed labels are not reliable indicators of superior yolk nutrition. The only two variables that matter when choosing eggs are how much space the chicken had and what it was fed. Cage-free eggs generally have the same low carotenoid profile as standard factory farm eggs. Organic certification guara…