Vegetarian Fed, Free Range, Cage Free, Certified Humane. Egg labels got you confused? Rightfully so - like many other products in the grocery store, egg cartons are now also obnoxiously decorated with label claims. And while some labels are well regulated, some labels mean diddly squat. Check out this video to learn more and determine which eggs are best for you.

*Comparison: An article written by The Modern Farmer presents a great layout of the difference between these third-party certifiers in their “Worth Paying Attention to” category.

*Find Animal Welfare Approved Eggs near you*

Written recap of egg label definitions.

or blue shelled eggs healthier? No, shell color just depends on the breed of hen.

Don’t eggs raise your cholesterol? Maybe.

For people who are already at risk for heart disease (overweight/obese, elevated cholesterol levels with high LDL, elevated homocysteine, etc), eggs may not be so good for you. They seem to further increase LDL cholesterol – aka the bad cholesterol – which can be oxidized causing plaque in the arteries.

On the flip side, healthy people with no underlying vascular disease experience no risk in developing heart disease by increasing their intake of cholesterol from eggs. In healthy people, eggs seem to increase the good (HDL) and bad (LDL) cholesterol, but the form of LDL appears to be less atherogenic. Additionally, eggs are a great source of eye-protecting antioxidants lutein and zeanxthin, as well as the underrated nutrient choline; nutrients that are beneficial to everyone.

It is also important to note the difference in the way people’s cholesterol levels respond to egg consumption. People appear to be either:

a) hyporesponders – experience a mild increase or no alterations in plasma cholesterol concentrations when challenged with high amounts of dietary cholesterol.

b) hyperresponders – experience an increase in plasma cholesterol following egg consumption.

Apparently, 70% of the population are hyporesponders! Are you feeling lucky?

What’s with the dark yolk colors I sometimes find? The darker the yolk, the greater the lutein/zeaxanthin level, a powerful, disease preventing phytochemical.

How do I find local eggs? Try entering your zip code here