Wednesday, May 30, 2012

control the mole / health


aspirin helps prevent other cancers, strokes, heart attacks, possibly periodontal disease, and possibly dementia.  an ounce of prevention

Can Aspirin, Other NSAIDs Lower Skin Cancer Risk?

Study Suggests Common Painkillers May Reduce Risk of Some Skin Cancers, Including Melanoma
By 
WebMD Health News
Reviewed by Laura J. Martin, MD

ibuprofen tablets
May 29, 2012 -- Aspirin and other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen and naproxen may help protect against certain types of skin cancer -- including melanoma, the most dangerous form of this disease.
The new study hints at a possible link between NSAID use and skincancer risk. It does not prove that a link exists or speak to how these medications may stave off skin cancer risk. Other studies have produced conflicting results. The findings appear online in the journal Cancer.
Researchers led by Sigrun Alba Johannesdottir of Aarhus University Hospital in Denmark compared use of prescription NSAIDs among people with and without the three major types of skin cancer: basal cell, squamous cell, and melanoma.
People who filled more than two NSAID prescriptions from 1991 through 2009 were 15% less likely to develop squamous cell skin cancer and 13% less likely to develop melanoma than people who filled two or fewer NSAID prescriptions during the study period. Researchers only looked at prescription NSAIDs, not over-the-counter forms.

No Safe Way to Tan

Use of NSAIDs did not affect overall risk for developing basal cell skin cancer. That said, they did reduce risk of basal cell skin cancer in body parts other than the head and neck that were not regularly exposed to the sun.
The findings make sense to Joshua Zeichner, MD. He is a dermatologist at Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York City. "NSAIDs help lower inflammation in the body and reduce expression of COX-2, an enzyme involved in growth of cancers," he says.
In fact, a topical NSAID, Solaraze Gel (diclofenac), is approved for pre-cancerous skin damage known as actinic keratoses.
Even if the findings are confirmed in future studies, NSAIDs should never take the place of other skin cancer prevention measures, including judicious use ofsunscreen and wearing sun-protective clothing, says Zeichner. "The positive results from this study will hopefully pave the way for future research on NSAIDs and other ways to treat and prevent skin cancer," he says.
But "there is no safe way to tan," he says. "The only safe tan is the one you get from bottle of self-tanning cream." Importantly, "if you protect yourself from the sun, you won't need any preventive treatments."
Julie Russak, MD, agrees. She is a dermatologist in New York City. NSAIDs are known to help treat painful sunburns, but they do confer their share of risks when used for long periods of time, including bleeding and heart risks.
"Sunburns cause inflammation that may lead to the development of skin cancer," she says. "It is a parallel pathway."
The best way to reduce skin cancer risk is to use sunscreen and avoid burns.
Early detection can also save lives. "See a doctor once a year for a skin exam, and if you notice any change in your moles, see a doctor."

baa! $



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Ebong Eka

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Facebook Flubs? You Can Still Make Money!

Posted: 05/30/2012 12:21 pm

Family cookouts and poolside parties are customary for Memorial Day weekend. Facebook has also made it customary to share these experiences through status updates. So what's Facebook's status update for today?
Facebook stock has lost approximately 21 percent of its value since the social network joined the public network (IPO) on May 18th, 2012 on the NASDAQ. Many investors seeking short term gains and quick riches lost their shirts during the subsequent days of trading.
So the obvious question is: What the heck happened?
In Steven Russolillo's Wall Street Journal article, Walter Zimmerman, senior technical analyst at United-ICAP succinctly explains:
"What happened to the Facebook IPO? Human nature happened, crowd behavior can be ugly and dangerous...I would like to suggest that Facebook may be a great signpost, but not a great stock to own."
I can't help you with past mistakes nor am I quick to say that buying Facebook is a mistake. However, here are some important tips the average investor has to know BEFORE investing in the market.
Personal Investing Tips
1. It's About Style -- You're investment style is important. Determine if you're a long term investor or going after a quick buck. Many investors lost money on Facebook because they wanted the quick buck. Institutional investors made money...regular people didn't!
2. Buy what you know -- Invest in companies that you can understand. Learn and understand:
a) what they sell,
b) who they sell it to, 
c) what their cash flows are, 
d) what their debt (debt to income ratio) is.
3. Revenues -- The stock price is generally based on future earnings of the company. So you need a track record of earnings trending upwards not downwards. 
4. Sheeps Get Sheared -- Don't follow the sheep! Like the dot-com bubble or housing market; people like to follow the hot stock of the week. Important to analyze the stock or funds track record! Don't follow a "hot tip"! By the time you hear about it, it's no longer a hot tip. 

death and no taxes


8 Types Of Non-Taxable Income

Print
It’s almost time for tax season. Everyone knows that your earned wages will be taxed by the IRS. What many people do not realize is that there are numerous sources of income that are not taxed by the federal government. If you can increase your income from these sources, then you will reduce your overall tax burden. But what are these sources and how can you take advantage of them. 
Ads by Google
Here are eight sources of income that are not taxable under the federal tax code.

Interest Earned From Tax Exempt Municipal Bonds

As the name suggests, interest earned from tax exempt municipal bondsis not subject to federal taxes. In fact, many states also give state tax exemption if the bonds were issued in the state in which you file your taxes. This tax exemption applies to both individual tax exempt municipal bonds and to shares in tax exempt municipal bond funds. 
Be aware that there are taxable municipal bonds that do not benefit from federal or state tax exemption. Make sure that you pay close attention to the tax status of any municipal bond or municipal bond fund that you purchase. (To learn more about municipal bonds, see An Investor’s Guide To Municipal Bonds.)

Income From The Sale Of Your Primary Residence

If you sell your primary residence for a profit and pass the IRS tests for home use and ownership, then a portion of your income for the sale will be tax exempt. To pass the tests, you need to prove that you have owned your home for at least two of the past five years. You also need to prove that it is your primacy place of residence. 
If you can do this, then you can exclude up to $250,000 of capital gains from you taxable income. If you file jointly with your spouse, you can exclude up to $500,000. If you don’t meet the two year test, you may be able to get a partial tax exemption for the income earned from the sale. 

Life Insurance Money

It is not pleasant to think about, but if a loved one dies and you are the beneficiary of their life insurance policy, you will generally not have to pay any taxes on the life insurance money that you receive. You should note that there are some exceptions to this rule. You should consult with the IRS or a tax specialist for further information about when life insurance disbarments can be taxed. (For more information about life insurance, see Life Insurance.)

Non-Taxable Gifts

A gift is exactly what it sounds like. According to the IRS, a gift is any transfer to an individual that the individual does not fully pay for. Some gifts are taxable. However, a good many are not. For example, in 2011, you can give a person up to $13,000 without any party being taxed. Other types of gifts that can qualify for tax exempt status include tuition or medical expenses that you pay on behalf of someone else, gifts to your spouse, and gifts to a political organization. You should speak with a tax expert before giving a gift to make sure that you take full advantage of the potential tax benefit. (To lean more, see The Rules Of The IRS Gift Tax.)

Employer Fringe Benefits

There are numerous fringe benefits that employers give to their employees. Some companies offer their employees subsidies for public transportation. This can include subway cards, bus passes or cab fares. Additionally, some companies also offer parking subsidies to their employees that drive to work. As long as these subsides are not valued more than $230, you can receive these subsidies tax free. Other tax free fringe benefits include free gym membership, use of a company car and employee discounts. 

Child Support

If you are the parent with custody of the child, you do not have to report child support payments to the IRS. You should note that spousal support is not necessarily tax exempt

Foster Care Payments

If you take care of foster children, you will receive payments from the state to help with expenses. Since these payments are made by a state agency or tax-exempt organization, you do not have to report them to the IRS.

Personal Injury Awards

If you have been issued financial awards because of a personal injury suit, you might not have to pay taxes on the money awarded. You should speak with a tax professional to determine whether you need to report the funds you received from a personal injury suit. 
When tax season rolls around, many people focus on the financial items that they are required to report. However, we could all benefit from taking a closer look at the income that we don’t need to report. If you can take advantage of these sources of tax free income, you will be able to save money during tax time.

and it's not plastic


One word of advice for new college grads – CASH

Every year I like to provide advice to college graduates.
By the time I graduated, I had in place some pretty good money habits thanks to my grandmother Big Mama. Because of her, I’ve made it my mission to pass on the financial wisdom she taught me.
For college graduates this year, I offer an acronym to help manage your money. It’s CASH.
The “C’’ in CASH stands for credit. I won’t say don’t get a credit card, because many of you already have one. And I’d be a hypocrite anyway, since I use credit. But credit is a dangerous financial tool, because it often lets you live beyond your means.
I’ve worked with so many people who thought, as you might, that they could handle credit wisely. They couldn’t and are struggling to dig out from under credit-card debt for things they can’t even recall buying. Please pause before you use credit and consider what would happen if your next paycheck didn’t come.
Don’t use your credit card if you can’t pay off the purchase by the following billing cycle. The moment you swipe and buy something that you can’t pay off the next month, you are in danger of becoming trapped in a cycle that can lead to a lot of financial grief.
The “A’’ in CASH stands for assets. If you’re fortunate enough to have a good-paying job lined up, you might feel entitled to get stuff. You want new clothes to wear for your new job. You want a car, or a better car. But this sense of entitlement will leave you broke with stuff of dwindling value.
Did you know the moment you drive a new car off the lot, it loses 11 percent of its value, according to Edmunds.com, an online automotive information Web site. Although not all cars lose value at the same rate, by the end of the first year, a new car depreciates an average of 21.8 percent, Edmunds.com estimates.
Spend more of your money accumulating appreciating assets, such as a retirement account that has the potential to increase in value. Big Mama taught me that you’ll put yourself in a precarious situation if you don’t know the difference between buying things that improve your net worth and stuff that just makes you look wealthy.
The “S’’ in CASH stands for student loans, which many of you have. Don’t delay in getting a handle on how much you’ve borrowed. If you have private loans, contact the lender to be sure you’re clear on what you owe. Go to the National Student Loan Data System at www.nslds.ed.gov to get information about your federal loans. This site is the U.S. Department of Education’s central database for student aid.
Don’t wait until you have to start paying back the loans (typically six months after you stop attending a school at least half time). Talk to your lender or lenders about your repayment options.
One option if you aren’t earning much is the Income-Based Repayment program, or IBR. This option, which is not available for private student loans, is intended to set a reasonable monthly payment based on your income and family size. To get more details, go to www.ibrinfo.org.
Finally, the “H’’ in CASH stands for housing. If you have to rent long after you’ve graduated, don’t feel as if you are a financial failure. You are getting something for your money — a roof over your head.
Homeownership is still a good idea — and still the way most middle-class people boost their net worth over time — but don’t buy until you’re financially steady.
If you’re not ready to rent or buy a home, move back in with your parents. If you do find yourself in that situation, treat it as a temporary way station on your path to independence. And treat it (and your parents) with respect. Their roof, their rules apply. You may feel grown, but you’re not until you’re covering all your expenses. And unless you’ve got massive student-loan debt you’re trying to pay down, pay something toward the rent/mortgage and other living expenses such as food and utilities.
I chose this acronym because the basics of personal finance haven’t changed much. CASH is still king and comes down to what Big Mama taught me. Debt is dangerous and should be avoided as much as possible and paid down as soon as possible. Always ask yourself if something is a need or a want, and the answer will result in less stuff you can’t afford and more appreciating assets. CASH will set limits on what you can do, but in the long run you’ll have a greater sense of financial peace.
(c) 2012, Washington Post Writers Group

















Wednesday, May 23, 2012

food



05/16/2012

Not All Eggs Are Created Equal

Main Image for: Not All Eggs Are Created Equal
Photo credit: Photo by PlaysWithFood via Flickr Creative Commons.

Related Issues

Related Links

Spring—it’s the eagerly anticipated season of new life and fertility, the transition from a winter slumber to an active, fruitful growing season. The egg symbolizes these notions and is traditionally used across many cultures to celebrate spring. Whether you’re celebrating Easter by dying your eggs using all-natural dyes, setting your Seder plate with an organic Beitzah (a hard-boiled egg, symbolizing the festival sacrifice) or just whipping up an omelet, it’s the perfect time to reflect upon how eggs make it to our plates and how our choices in eggs, guided by labels, affect our health and the environment.
Egg labels are confusing. Deceptive or poor labeling has been an issue in the sale of eggs practically since they started leaving the farm. However, armed with the right information, you can find eggs that reflect your sustainable values. To assist you in your quest for a truthful and socially responsible egg purchase, we’ve put together this guide and glossary of egg labels and terminology.
Eggs available in US grocery stores are labeled based on grade (the firmness of the whites), size (based on the weight of a dozen) organic certification (or lackthereof) and animal welfare. Only cartons with the USDA shield conform to USDA policies and regulations. Otherwise, the eggs may be subject to state regulations or to no regulations at all. The different labels are summarized below, and terms are defined in a glossary at the end of the article.

HOW BIRDS ARE RAISED
  • Cage Free
  • Free Range
  • Pasture-Raised
  • Fertile
ANIMAL CARE LABELS
  • Animal Welfare Approved
  • Certified Humane Raised and Handled
  • American Humane Certified
  • United Egg Producers Certified
WHAT BIRDS ARE FED
  • Organic
  • Vegetarian Fed
  • No Hormones
  • No Antibiotics
  • Natural, Naturally Raised
PROPERTIES OF EGGS
  • Omega-3
  • Pasteurized
GLOSSARY
HOW BIRDS ARE RAISED
Cage Free: Regulated by the USDA. Chickens were kept out of cages and had continuous access to food and water, but did not necessarily have access to the outdoors for longer than five minutes a day. There is no verification process for this claim.
Free Range: Regulated by the USDA. In addition to meeting cage-free standards, free-range birds must have continuous access to the outdoors, unless there’s a health risk present. There are no standards, though, for that outdoor area. There is no verification process for this claim.
Pasture-raised: There is no regulation or verification of this term, which implies that hens got at least part of their food from foraging on greens and bugs. Adherents claim that studies have shown pasture-raised eggs have more nutrients like omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin A, vitamin E and beta carotene, and less saturated fat and cholesterol.
Fertile: The term is unregulated but implies that the eggs were likely to have been fertilized because the hens were uncaged and raised near a rooster. Fertile eggs are stored at temperatures too cold for chicks to develop.
ANIMAL CARE LABELS
Animal Welfare Approved: A program of the Animal Welfare Institute, this label is widely regarded as the gold standard for humane treatment and given only to independent family farmers. Flocks can have no more than 500 birds, and chickens over 4 weeks old must be able to spend all their time outside on pesticide-free pasture with a variety of vegetation. They must have access to dust baths and cannot have their beaks trimmed or be fed animal byproducts.
Certified humane raised and handled: Hens marked by this label are kept cage free, though not necessarily outdoors.  “Certified humane raised and handled” is administered by Humane Farm Animal Care, the only animal welfare program audited each year for reliability by the USDA. It is endorsed by many animal welfare organizations. It has requirements for, among other things, ventilation, density and the number of perches and nesting boxes that must be provided. It requires that each hen have at least 1.5 square feet of space (324 square inches).
American humane certified: Created by the American Humane Association, this label allows for both cage-confinement and cage free (but not necessarily outdoors). Hens confined in these “furnished cages” have about the space of a legal-sized sheet of paper. Its standards prohibit forced molting (reducing feed to increase egg production) and require that hens have at least 1.25 square feet of space (225 square inches).
United Egg Producers Certified: This label, presented by the United Egg Producers, is America’s leading trade association for egg farmers, and has standards for caged and cage-free layers. Many animal welfare advocates say those standards are too low. The standards permit hens to have as little as 67 square inches of space, less than a letter-size sheet of paper, which is 93.5 square inches.
WHAT BIRDS ARE FED
Organic: This label means that the eggs meet the standards of the agriculture department’s National Organic Program. Among the requirements: birds must be kept cage free with outdoor access (time and the type of access are not defined), they cannot be given antibiotics and their food must be free from animal byproducts and made from crops grown without chemical pesticides, fertilizers, irradiation, genetic engineering or sewage sludge. If organic eggs do not have the program’s emblem, they may be part of an independent or state-run program, and you may have to do some investigating to determine the program’s standards.
Vegetarian Feed: For eggs with the USDA grade shield, “vegetarian-fed” indicates that the eggs came from hens raised on all-vegetarian feed. It should be noted that hens are not naturally vegetarian. They naturally feed on grubs, bugs and worms. There isn’t a substantial nutritional difference between these eggs and conventional eggs—the appeal of vegetarian eggs is mostly for those who are – understandably – concerned about byproducts that can be included in conventional chicken feed such as feather meal, chicken litter, pork and cattle byproducts and “spent hen meal” (ground up dead hens).
No Hormones: The FDA has not approved any hormone products for egg production, so this term is meaningless.
No Antibiotics: The FDA does not allow routine use of antibiotics in egg production but does not define or regulate the term “no antibiotics.” This claim is verified only when the eggs are USDA graded (meaning that hens did not receive nontherapeutic antibiotics but may still have been treated with antibiotics if ill) or if the eggs are a part of the National Organic Program (which bans antibiotics entirely after chicks are 3 days old, even if ill).
Natural, All-Natural and Naturally Raised: These labels are essentially meaningless. Producers can use these labels at will because they are neither regulated nor defined.
PROPERTIES OF EGGS
Omega-3: This claim implies that eggs have extra omega-3 fatty acids from being fed diets that include good sources of omega-3, like flaxseed or algae. USDA-graded producers are audited to make sure hens’ diets have been fortified and that omega-enriched eggs do not get swapped out for cheaper ones. While the FDA can audit producers’ claims about omega-3s, they typically only do so if there has been a complaint. Unless the eggs claim to contain higher levels of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) omega-3s (thought to be more important for cardiovascular health), the omega-3s are probably primarily in the alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) form.
Pasteurized: This term refers to eggs heated to temperatures just below the coagulation point to destroy pathogens and is regulated by the FDA.

18 Responses to “Not All Eggs Are Created Equal”

  1. [...] this recent Egg article that Ecocentric posted is a perfect example of how sometimes, or lets face it, MOST of the time, everyone does not [...]
  2. Sylvia NY
    As a regular egg eater I have tried to make sure my sources have been good. Luckily for me a dear friend recently set up her own flock – free range, pastured and spoiled rotten ;-) These sweet, funny and energetic hens have become my source of eggs ranging from standard white ones, indistinguishable from any store bought, to beige, brown, even pale blue. Her flock is a mix of different breeds, and thus different size and color eggs. If I was allowed to I would have my own flock, but because I own a motel, laws say it could pose a potential health risk to guests, so no coop :-(
  3. Richard Natoli-Rombach
    Wonderful, informative article. I don’t use eggs but have fed them to my pets. Fortunately I have a former co-worker who raises chickens and sells the eggs mostly to pay for feed. Her chickens are cared for better than some dogs and cats, and spend most of their time outside weather permitting and the need to protect from predators.
  4. BTF
    Thanks for this article. Anyone concerned about the treatment of laying hens and the way eggs are produced on factory farms should OPPOSE recently introduced federal legislation, HR 3798. Not only would it establish egg factory cages as a national standard, it would eliminate the rights of states and voters to do anything about it (while nullifying existing state laws that already ban or restrict battery cages). That is why it is being pushed by the egg industry itself! The Stop the Rotten Egg Bill (http://www.StopTheRottenEggBill.org) campaign is getting it right. Check it out. This bill would keep hens forever locked in cruel metal cages.
  5. Jennifer Bunin
    @Whitney – thanks for catching that!
  6. Living Proof Nutrition Fitness
    Thank you for helping us consumers decipher between the plethora of terms used on egg cartons. I recommend my clients purchase eggs from local farmers or green markets, but now I know to tell them to look for Animal Welfare Approved on labels as well.
  7. Chris
    Forgot one – where was it produced? is it a california egg or was it trucked in from wisconsin? usually the label says “distributed by” and that means nothing. We want to support our california farmers now that they have to raise chickens in larger pens. or none at all.
  8. Evelyn
    Thanks for clearing up some of the jargon these companies use to dupe us into thinking their products are pure and good for us. I am sharing this info with everyone I know – it’s that important. What I am now doing is buying my eggs locally as I have found several around that I was unaware of until I started researching into this. I no longer buy them at the local supermarket.
  9. [...] A concise explanation about different claims of how chickens are raised and fed can be found here. Not All Eggs Are Created Equal [...]
  10. Deena Barselah
    This is such a great article. Thanks for the detail. This is information that many people do not know and I do my best to share all of this with my clients. Eggs are a wonderful fertility food, but not crappy, conventional eggs from a supermarket. Know your farmer and know your source! That’s the best way to get real food.
  11. Whitney
    I think you used the term “therapeutic antibiotics” when you intended to mean “prophylactic antibiotics”. You indicated that hens when ill could receive antibiotics, and that would be defined as “therapeutic”. Antibiotics simply to prevent disease (a practice that is not supported and is in fact discouraged by the current evidence) would be termed “prophylactic”. Good to know that hormones are not allowed in egg production. I’ll stick to my neighbourhood farm-raised eggs bought from the ones who collect them personally. I find the cheap grocery-store eggs have lighter yolks (which could be due to different variety of hen, but often is the result of poor feeding) and much thinner shells. That should be a clue–you can pay less for less nutrition or pay more for more nutrition and support more humane conditions in the process.
  12. Jennifer
    Thank you for this information, I’ve been trying to encourage my husband to buy eggs, to help support animal welfare services. This will help our selection (although, I’m sure, he won’t be pleased with the price) lol, what makes me happy, makes him happy :)
  13. ann
    I agree with Christa eggs don’t sound very appealing after reading that!
  14. Cheryl
    Given the quantity of egg whites I eat and the variety of eggs from which I can choose, this information is very valuable. Great article!
  15. Jinni
    This is why, “know your farmer,” is more important than ever.
  16. Q
    Excellent article!
  17. LAR
    Wow! Thanks for all the good info- I had no idea there was so much to know. Now if I can figure out what to buy :-)
  18. Christa
    Thank you for this list of definitions that are so misunderstood by most consumers. It unfortunately makes me uncomfortable buying any eggs at all unless I or someone I know has raised them.
    Such deception in our food system…its incredible.

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05/16/2012

Not All Eggs Are Created Equal

Main Image for: Not All Eggs Are Created Equal
Photo credit: Photo by PlaysWithFood via Flickr Creative Commons.

Related Issues

Related Links

Spring—it’s the eagerly anticipated season of new life and fertility, the transition from a winter slumber to an active, fruitful growing season. The egg symbolizes these notions and is traditionally used across many cultures to celebrate spring. Whether you’re celebrating Easter by dying your eggs using all-natural dyes, setting your Seder plate with an organic Beitzah (a hard-boiled egg, symbolizing the festival sacrifice) or just whipping up an omelet, it’s the perfect time to reflect upon how eggs make it to our plates and how our choices in eggs, guided by labels, affect our health and the environment.
Egg labels are confusing. Deceptive or poor labeling has been an issue in the sale of eggs practically since they started leaving the farm. However, armed with the right information, you can find eggs that reflect your sustainable values. To assist you in your quest for a truthful and socially responsible egg purchase, we’ve put together this guide and glossary of egg labels and terminology.
Eggs available in US grocery stores are labeled based on grade (the firmness of the whites), size (based on the weight of a dozen) organic certification (or lackthereof) and animal welfare. Only cartons with the USDA shield conform to USDA policies and regulations. Otherwise, the eggs may be subject to state regulations or to no regulations at all. The different labels are summarized below, and terms are defined in a glossary at the end of the article.

HOW BIRDS ARE RAISED
  • Cage Free
  • Free Range
  • Pasture-Raised
  • Fertile
ANIMAL CARE LABELS
  • Animal Welfare Approved
  • Certified Humane Raised and Handled
  • American Humane Certified
  • United Egg Producers Certified
WHAT BIRDS ARE FED
  • Organic
  • Vegetarian Fed
  • No Hormones
  • No Antibiotics
  • Natural, Naturally Raised
PROPERTIES OF EGGS
  • Omega-3
  • Pasteurized
GLOSSARY
HOW BIRDS ARE RAISED
Cage Free: Regulated by the USDA. Chickens were kept out of cages and had continuous access to food and water, but did not necessarily have access to the outdoors for longer than five minutes a day. There is no verification process for this claim.
Free Range: Regulated by the USDA. In addition to meeting cage-free standards, free-range birds must have continuous access to the outdoors, unless there’s a health risk present. There are no standards, though, for that outdoor area. There is no verification process for this claim.
Pasture-raised: There is no regulation or verification of this term, which implies that hens got at least part of their food from foraging on greens and bugs. Adherents claim that studies have shown pasture-raised eggs have more nutrients like omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin A, vitamin E and beta carotene, and less saturated fat and cholesterol.
Fertile: The term is unregulated but implies that the eggs were likely to have been fertilized because the hens were uncaged and raised near a rooster. Fertile eggs are stored at temperatures too cold for chicks to develop.
ANIMAL CARE LABELS
Animal Welfare Approved: A program of the Animal Welfare Institute, this label is widely regarded as the gold standard for humane treatment and given only to independent family farmers. Flocks can have no more than 500 birds, and chickens over 4 weeks old must be able to spend all their time outside on pesticide-free pasture with a variety of vegetation. They must have access to dust baths and cannot have their beaks trimmed or be fed animal byproducts.
Certified humane raised and handled: Hens marked by this label are kept cage free, though not necessarily outdoors.  “Certified humane raised and handled” is administered by Humane Farm Animal Care, the only animal welfare program audited each year for reliability by the USDA. It is endorsed by many animal welfare organizations. It has requirements for, among other things, ventilation, density and the number of perches and nesting boxes that must be provided. It requires that each hen have at least 1.5 square feet of space (324 square inches).
American humane certified: Created by the American Humane Association, this label allows for both cage-confinement and cage free (but not necessarily outdoors). Hens confined in these “furnished cages” have about the space of a legal-sized sheet of paper. Its standards prohibit forced molting (reducing feed to increase egg production) and require that hens have at least 1.25 square feet of space (225 square inches).
United Egg Producers Certified: This label, presented by the United Egg Producers, is America’s leading trade association for egg farmers, and has standards for caged and cage-free layers. Many animal welfare advocates say those standards are too low. The standards permit hens to have as little as 67 square inches of space, less than a letter-size sheet of paper, which is 93.5 square inches.
WHAT BIRDS ARE FED
Organic: This label means that the eggs meet the standards of the agriculture department’s National Organic Program. Among the requirements: birds must be kept cage free with outdoor access (time and the type of access are not defined), they cannot be given antibiotics and their food must be free from animal byproducts and made from crops grown without chemical pesticides, fertilizers, irradiation, genetic engineering or sewage sludge. If organic eggs do not have the program’s emblem, they may be part of an independent or state-run program, and you may have to do some investigating to determine the program’s standards.
Vegetarian Feed: For eggs with the USDA grade shield, “vegetarian-fed” indicates that the eggs came from hens raised on all-vegetarian feed. It should be noted that hens are not naturally vegetarian. They naturally feed on grubs, bugs and worms. There isn’t a substantial nutritional difference between these eggs and conventional eggs—the appeal of vegetarian eggs is mostly for those who are – understandably – concerned about byproducts that can be included in conventional chicken feed such as feather meal, chicken litter, pork and cattle byproducts and “spent hen meal” (ground up dead hens).
No Hormones: The FDA has not approved any hormone products for egg production, so this term is meaningless.
No Antibiotics: The FDA does not allow routine use of antibiotics in egg production but does not define or regulate the term “no antibiotics.” This claim is verified only when the eggs are USDA graded (meaning that hens did not receive nontherapeutic antibiotics but may still have been treated with antibiotics if ill) or if the eggs are a part of the National Organic Program (which bans antibiotics entirely after chicks are 3 days old, even if ill).
Natural, All-Natural and Naturally Raised: These labels are essentially meaningless. Producers can use these labels at will because they are neither regulated nor defined.
PROPERTIES OF EGGS
Omega-3: This claim implies that eggs have extra omega-3 fatty acids from being fed diets that include good sources of omega-3, like flaxseed or algae. USDA-graded producers are audited to make sure hens’ diets have been fortified and that omega-enriched eggs do not get swapped out for cheaper ones. While the FDA can audit producers’ claims about omega-3s, they typically only do so if there has been a complaint. Unless the eggs claim to contain higher levels of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) omega-3s (thought to be more important for cardiovascular health), the omega-3s are probably primarily in the alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) form.
Pasteurized: This term refers to eggs heated to temperatures just below the coagulation point to destroy pathogens and is regulated by the FDA.

18 Responses to “Not All Eggs Are Created Equal”

  1. [...] this recent Egg article that Ecocentric posted is a perfect example of how sometimes, or lets face it, MOST of the time, everyone does not [...]
  2. Sylvia NY
    As a regular egg eater I have tried to make sure my sources have been good. Luckily for me a dear friend recently set up her own flock – free range, pastured and spoiled rotten ;-) These sweet, funny and energetic hens have become my source of eggs ranging from standard white ones, indistinguishable from any store bought, to beige, brown, even pale blue. Her flock is a mix of different breeds, and thus different size and color eggs. If I was allowed to I would have my own flock, but because I own a motel, laws say it could pose a potential health risk to guests, so no coop :-(
  3. Richard Natoli-Rombach
    Wonderful, informative article. I don’t use eggs but have fed them to my pets. Fortunately I have a former co-worker who raises chickens and sells the eggs mostly to pay for feed. Her chickens are cared for better than some dogs and cats, and spend most of their time outside weather permitting and the need to protect from predators.
  4. BTF
    Thanks for this article. Anyone concerned about the treatment of laying hens and the way eggs are produced on factory farms should OPPOSE recently introduced federal legislation, HR 3798. Not only would it establish egg factory cages as a national standard, it would eliminate the rights of states and voters to do anything about it (while nullifying existing state laws that already ban or restrict battery cages). That is why it is being pushed by the egg industry itself! The Stop the Rotten Egg Bill (http://www.StopTheRottenEggBill.org) campaign is getting it right. Check it out. This bill would keep hens forever locked in cruel metal cages.
  5. Jennifer Bunin
    @Whitney – thanks for catching that!
  6. Living Proof Nutrition Fitness
    Thank you for helping us consumers decipher between the plethora of terms used on egg cartons. I recommend my clients purchase eggs from local farmers or green markets, but now I know to tell them to look for Animal Welfare Approved on labels as well.
  7. Chris
    Forgot one – where was it produced? is it a california egg or was it trucked in from wisconsin? usually the label says “distributed by” and that means nothing. We want to support our california farmers now that they have to raise chickens in larger pens. or none at all.
  8. Evelyn
    Thanks for clearing up some of the jargon these companies use to dupe us into thinking their products are pure and good for us. I am sharing this info with everyone I know – it’s that important. What I am now doing is buying my eggs locally as I have found several around that I was unaware of until I started researching into this. I no longer buy them at the local supermarket.
  9. [...] A concise explanation about different claims of how chickens are raised and fed can be found here. Not All Eggs Are Created Equal [...]
  10. Deena Barselah
    This is such a great article. Thanks for the detail. This is information that many people do not know and I do my best to share all of this with my clients. Eggs are a wonderful fertility food, but not crappy, conventional eggs from a supermarket. Know your farmer and know your source! That’s the best way to get real food.
  11. Whitney
    I think you used the term “therapeutic antibiotics” when you intended to mean “prophylactic antibiotics”. You indicated that hens when ill could receive antibiotics, and that would be defined as “therapeutic”. Antibiotics simply to prevent disease (a practice that is not supported and is in fact discouraged by the current evidence) would be termed “prophylactic”. Good to know that hormones are not allowed in egg production. I’ll stick to my neighbourhood farm-raised eggs bought from the ones who collect them personally. I find the cheap grocery-store eggs have lighter yolks (which could be due to different variety of hen, but often is the result of poor feeding) and much thinner shells. That should be a clue–you can pay less for less nutrition or pay more for more nutrition and support more humane conditions in the process.
  12. Jennifer
    Thank you for this information, I’ve been trying to encourage my husband to buy eggs, to help support animal welfare services. This will help our selection (although, I’m sure, he won’t be pleased with the price) lol, what makes me happy, makes him happy :)
  13. ann
    I agree with Christa eggs don’t sound very appealing after reading that!
  14. Cheryl
    Given the quantity of egg whites I eat and the variety of eggs from which I can choose, this information is very valuable. Great article!
  15. Jinni
    This is why, “know your farmer,” is more important than ever.
  16. Q
    Excellent article!
  17. LAR
    Wow! Thanks for all the good info- I had no idea there was so much to know. Now if I can figure out what to buy :-)
  18. Christa
    Thank you for this list of definitions that are so misunderstood by most consumers. It unfortunately makes me uncomfortable buying any eggs at all unless I or someone I know has raised them.
    Such deception in our food system…its incredible.

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