CLAIMS ON EGG CARTONS

When you shop for eggs you may wonder about some of the claims on the cartons.  Eggs like every other product on the market are victims of advertising.  To help you cut through some of the claims, remember this:

• Omega-3 eggs.  This means the hens that laid the eggs ate a diet that contains flaxseeds.  Therefore the eggs may be higher in these heart-healthy fatty acids.
• Vegetarian-fed.  This does not change the nutritional value of the eggs.  This may, however, be important to true vegetarians.
• Hormone-free.  There are no hormone products approved for egg production so all eggs should be hormone-free.  This is just an advertising trick.
• Cage-Free or Range.  This indicates the hens may have more humane treatment than those crowded in cages or commercial "coops".  The industry is so poorly regulated that this claim may not mean much.

If you prefer eggs with one of these titles, more power to you.  This is not to play down these titles but to simply let one know what they really mean.