Ameraucana Eggs Help Cancer?

[OreoPlymothRock]

Hi, I heard someone say that ameraucana chickens eggs help cure cancer because of their green and blue eggs. Is that true? Please post your source with your answer, Thanks in advance.

 

[debid]

Were you planning to eat the shells? Just trying to figure out how shell color would have any impact on nutritional content of the eggs...

 

[Blue]

I'm gonna say that's probably false. I couldn't find any information saying one way or the other when I researched it, but as the previous response said, I don't see how the shell color could have any effect on the eggs' health benefits.

 

[WalkingOnSunshine]

According to The Internet, Ameraucana eggs are also lower in cholesterol.

This is also false.

There has been quite a bit of research into egg nutrition, and as long as two hens are being fed the same diet, there are no differences in egg nutrition between eggs of different shell colors.

True free-range eggs of any color, however, where the birds eat greens and bugs, etc, are more nutritious than layer house eggs. http://www.motherearthnews.com/Relish/Pastured-Eggs-Vitamin-D-Content.aspx

 

[LTygress]

The ONLY thing that determines how HEALTHY an egg is, would be the way the chicken is raised. A free-range chicken has access to bugs and worms that caged chickens do not. That means they get more protein in their diet, and a more varied diet overall, which makes their eggs healthier. Commercial egg layers are fed a very CHEAP diet designed to get them to grow faster and lay eggs faster to meet the demands of the market. Those chickens also do not get regular exercise, so they are not at optimum health themselves. Those two factors are why their eggs are not as healthy.

The color of the egg is ONLY determined by the breed of chicken. Nothing else. It does not indicate more of one nutrient over another.

HOWEVER, Ameraucanas are not typically used for commercial egg production. So when you actually DO find someone selling green eggs, they are very likely to be free-range source eggs, or at least chickens with a much broader diet (I feed mine crickets, mealworms, and earth worms that I raise myself). That is the ONLY reason a green egg MAY be healthier than a white egg. But then again, I have one unknown breed, and three incoming leghorns that will all lay white eggs, and those white eggs will be just as healthy as my green eggs because of the way I raise my chickens.

It really can not be stressed enough that egg color has NO impact on quality, health, or nutrients.


And one side note related to this: Be careful of store-bought eggs that say "free range" on the package. Commercially-sold "free-range" eggs COULD simply be a chicken kept in a cage big enough to let it fly, but still unable to access bugs and worms, and fed a cheap diet of corn and wheat. They (or their feed) could also still be treated with certain chemicals to ward off bugs, or promote faster egg production. So just because the packaging says free-range, doesn't mean the egg is healthier. Same goes with organic - they may be fed a very simple diet of "organic" corn.

My only advice is to stick with local farmers. At least then you can see how the chickens are raised!

 

[WalkingOnSunshine]

And one side note related to this: Be careful of store-bought eggs that say "free range" on the package. Commercially-sold "free-range" eggs COULD simply be a chicken kept in a cage big enough to let it fly, but still unable to access bugs and worms, and fed a cheap diet of corn and wheat. They (or their feed) could also still be treated with certain chemicals to ward off bugs, or promote faster egg production. So just because the packaging says free-range, doesn't mean the egg is healthier. Same goes with organic - they may be fed a very simple diet of "organic" corn.

My only advice is to stick with local farmers. At least then you can see how the chickens are raised!

I'm not quibbling with your condemnation of commercial "free range" eggs, but I do want to correct you a little. According to the law, a "free range" chicken cannot be caged. They must have "access" to the outside. Of course, that "access" might be one door leading to a cement pad outside for 20,000 hens, but the access has to be there legally.

Have you ever read the USA today story about free range layer hens? The guy running a big egg business said that his hens don't go outside even though they have "access" because chickens are naturally timid and don't go outside because they know there are so many predators outside and they know they are better off in the layer house.