Are backyard chicken eggs truly healthier? Indeed they are.

There is plenty of research demonstrating that the nutrition in free-range eggs is superior to those you buy at the grocery store.

A chicken’s natural diet consists of grasses and other green plants, seeds, insects and worms. Yet, most commercially raised hens get only grain and mash. When chickens aren’t allowed to forage (or at least aren’t fed some greens), their eggs aren’t as nutritious.

Research by Penn State University compared hens fed a commercial diet to chickens that were allowed to free range. Free range eggs were nutritionally superior by far.

The PSU study found that free-range chicken eggs had:

• 2 times as much vitamin E
• 2 times as much long-chain omega-3 fats
• more than 2 times the total omega-3 fatty acids
• 38% higher Vitamin A concentration

Vitamin E is a powerful antioxidant that fights free radicals in your body, builds the immune system and is good for your hair and skin.

Vitamin A also boosts the immune system and is essential for good vision.

Omega 3’s are good for your heart, blood pressure and joints. However, the body can’t produce them; we need to get them from our food.

A study by Mother Earth News produced similar results. Their research demonstrated that “compared to official U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) nutrient data for commercial eggs, eggs from hens raised on pasture may contain:”

• ⅓ less cholesterol
• ¼ less saturated fat
• ⅔ more vitamin A
• 2 times more omega-3 fatty acids
• 3 times more vitamin E
• 7 times more beta carotene

Other research has shown that free-range eggs have up to 50 percent more folic acid, 70 percent more vitamin B12, up to 50 percent less cholesterol and up to 25 percent less saturated fat.

Your yolks will also be richer in color. In the image below, you can see a clear difference between the backyard chicken egg on the left and the store-bought egg on the right. And as my family will attest, they simply taste better.

The Bottom Line

As with most things in nature, the better the living the environment for chickens the healthier they will be. This includes their eggs. Chickens that have a generous space to live in, are allowed to exercise and get a varied and nutritional diet will produce better eggs compared to those produced commercially.

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