# Lifestyles & Discussion > Personal Health & Well-Being >  7 ways eggs make you healthier

## heavenlyboy34

Much to the chagrin of the anti-dietary fat brigade  Eggs FTW! 
http://mentalfloss.com/article/80162...-you-healthier
Few foods are more vilified than the humble egg. For  decades, health authorities warned us that their yolks were packed with  harmful dietary cholesterol, and recommended that we only eat three or  four whole eggs a week. 
 In recent years, however, new scientific studies have  revealed that eggs dont dramatically raise blood cholesterol levels, or  increase the risk for heart disease or stroke. In fact, they actually  boast multiple health benefits. Here are seven ways the fragile treats  do your body good:
*1. EGGS ARE PACKED WITH PROTEIN.* One whole egg contains a whopping 6 grams of protein,  along with nine essential amino acidsthe building blocks of  proteinthat the body cant produce on its own. Because of this, eggs  are known as a complete protein. Since experts advise that men eat at  least 56 grams of protein daily and women consume least 46 grams per  day, eating an egg-based meal can help you easily reach your recommended  intake. 
*2. EGGS ARE A GREAT SOURCE OF HEALTHY FATS.* One large egg contains less than 5 total grams of fat.  About 3 of these come from monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats,  which are good for your heart _and_ may help lower your risk of type 2 diabetes by regulating your insulin levels. 
*3. EGGS ARE FILLED WITH ESSENTIAL VITAMINS * One large egg contains a wide assortment of your  recommended daily vitamins, including Vitamin B12 (which affects your  brain and nervous system functions and blood formation), Vitamin D (bone  health), and Vitamin A (growth and eye health). 
*4.  AND MINERALS.* Eggs contain several minerals that are hard to find in  other foods, including iron, which helps your body produce hemoglobin,  and selenium, which isimportant in reproduction, thyroid gland function, DNA production, and protecting the body from free radicals and infection. 
*5. EGGS CONTAIN ANTIOXIDANTS.* Egg yolks contain tryptophan and tyrosine, two amino  acids that have high antioxidant properties, and may help in the  prevention of cardiovascular disease and cancer. They also boast lutein  and zeaxanthin, antioxidants that help protect your eyes.
*6. EGGS ARE A FILLING FOOD.* Thanks to their healthy fats and proteins, eggs sate  your appetite and help you stay full longer. As a result, studies show  that people who eat eggs for breakfast are likely to consume fewer  calories during other meals, and therefore may lose weight. 
*7. EGGS ARE LOW IN CALORIES.* One large egg has around 78 calories. If you eat two  of them for breakfast, thats around 160 caloriesway fewer than a  plain, medium bagel, which contains around 270 calories.
_Eggs are a great and easy way to get the nutrition  boost your body needs. But not all eggs are created equal. Nellies  Free Range Eggs come from happy, healthy chickens, so you can rest easy  knowing that your meal is not only good for your, but from a humane  source. Learn more about Nellies chickens here._

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## Seraphim

Any time I eat eggs as part of my breakfast (or any meal for that matter) I feel GREAT for hours and hours. That's enough for me to know what's up.

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## Natural Citizen

Video from Nellies  Free Range Eggs. From the op...

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## donnay

> Video from Nellie’s  Free Range Eggs. From the op...


If I cannot get my hands on local free-range eggs, I buy Nellie's.

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## Danke

I prefer my hens caged.

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## farreri

"7 ways eggs make you healthier -- Presented by: Nellie's Free Range Eggs"

No conflict of interest there!

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## Natural Citizen

> "Presented by: Nellie's Free Range Eggs"
> 
> No conflict of interest there!



Conflict of whose interest? I prefer to buy genuinely free range/ranch raised meats and poultry. So, I'm okay with them desrcibing their ethical and humane, healthy business model.

I suppose we can show what the other side is serving up so that nobody's interest is ignored.

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## lilymc

I hate to be the party pooper, but there are a number of problems with eating eggs... I'm not sure where to begin. 

First, even if it's true that that company treats their chickens humanely (which I doubt), on their own website they admit that they (like the rest of the egg industry) have no use for male chicks and they are sent off to be killed.

From their site: (bold mine)

Once the chicks are hatched, they are sorted by gender. The female chicks will become egg laying hens and are transported at one day old to the pullet house. Unfortunately, there is no role for male chickens of this breed in egg farming. And, male chickens from laying breeds are not suitable for meat because they mature very slowly.  Additionally, they cannot be kept with the hens. In a cage free or free range environment, the roosters tendency to fight would create a terrible, inhumane environment for hens. *So, given that there is no viable market for the male chicks, the hatcheries euthanize them*. To do this, the hatcheries use one of the practices recommended by the American Veterinary Medical Association.  We do not have control over which practice they use and it varies depending on the hatchery.  *However, none of the practices are very appealing.* We wish that there was an alternative, but there currently are no hatcheries available to us that produce chicks without male chick culling.

For any one who didnt know, male chicks are either ground up alive, or suffocated.   That shows a horrible disrespect for life, something that was created by God.

Heres a video, one that is less graphic than some others you can find, by doing a search male chicks killed

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## donnay

> "Presented by: Nellie's Free Range Eggs"
> 
> No conflict of interest there!



Maybe you prefer the fake eggs from China?

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## donnay

> I hate to be the party pooper, but there are a number of problems with eating eggs... I'm not sure where to begin. 
> 
> First, even if it's true that that company treats their chickens humanely (which I doubt), on their own website they admit that they (like the rest of the egg industry) have no use for male chicks and they are sent off to be killed.
> 
> From their site: (bold mine)
> 
> Once the chicks are hatched, they are sorted by gender. The female chicks will become egg laying hens and are transported at one day old to the pullet house. Unfortunately, there is no role for male chickens of this breed in egg farming. And, male chickens from laying breeds are not suitable for meat because they mature very slowly.  Additionally, they cannot be kept with the hens. In a cage free or free range environment, the roosters tendency to fight would create a terrible, inhumane environment for hens. *So, given that there is no viable market for the male chicks, the hatcheries euthanize them*. To do this, the hatcheries use one of the practices recommended by the American Veterinary Medical Association.  We do not have control over which practice they use and it varies depending on the hatchery.  *However, none of the practices are very appealing.* We wish that there was an alternative, but there currently are no hatcheries available to us that produce chicks without male chick culling.
> 
> For any one who didn’t know, male chicks are either ground up alive, or suffocated.   That shows a horrible disrespect for life, something that was created by God.
> ...


When I raised chickens we first bought a straight run from the Hatchery.  They were not sexed.  The twenty-seven I ordered 9 were roosters and we penned them separately and fed them then slaughtered them for food.  We kept one Rooster so we could hatch our own.

One of the main reason I do not like factory farms.  Many of the egg farms around here do the same practice of separating the roosters from the hens.  The Rooster make for good meat broilers.  We had Rhode island Reds.

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## farreri

> Conflict of whose interest?


An article claiming multiple health benefits of a product written by a company that sells that product should always be thought of as a conflict of interest.

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## Natural Citizen

> An article claiming multiple health benefits of a product written by a company that sells that product should always be thought of as a conflict of interest.


Oh, I see what you're saying. Yeah, you're probly right.

I'd still rather have his eggs than the other ones, though

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## farreri

> 


That's the second reason I don't eat eggs. Absolutely cruel and inhumane.

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## tod evans

I've got a cyber nickle that says the bleeding hearts have never raised chickens...

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## lilymc

> When I raised chickens we first bought a straight run from the Hatchery.  They were not sexed.  The twenty-seven I ordered 9 were roosters and we penned them separately and fed them then slaughtered them for food.  We kept one Rooster so we could hatch our own.
> 
> One of the main reason I do not like factory farms.  Many of the egg farms around here do the same practice of separating the roosters from the hens.  The Rooster make for good meat broilers.  We had Rhode island Reds.



Yeah, my sister and her family have chickens on their property, and they too raise them ethically.  Im curious to know if the chickens at Nellies are genetically manipulated to continually lay a large amount of  eggs (thats another problem with the egg industry, for a number of reasons). I was going to say more, but I have to be somewhere in an hour, so I gotta go.   I'll see you guys later.

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## Natural Citizen

> I've got a cyber nickle that says the bleeding hearts have never raised chickens...


No, I grew up deep in the sticks. We had all kinds of chickens. Actually, we had a little bit of everything. So, I've seen and done my fair share. Far more than most. It was a way of life.

Actually, now I'm reminded of granny's self-served fresh mountain oysters.

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## tod evans

> No, I grew up deep in the sticks. We had all kinds of chickens. Actually, we had a little bit of everything. So, I've seen and done my fair share. Far more than most. It was a way of life.


Never have taken you for a bleeding heart...

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## donnay

> Yeah, my sister and her family have chickens on their property, and they too raise them ethically.  I’m curious to know if the chickens at Nellie’s are genetically manipulated to continually lay a large amount of  eggs (that’s another problem with the egg industry, for a number of reasons). I was going to say more, but I have to be somewhere in an hour, so I gotta go.   I'll see you guys later.


Their website says no.

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## donnay

> Never have taken you for a bleeding heart...



Me either.

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## farreri

> I've got a cyber nickle that says the bleeding hearts have never raised chickens...


I wouldn't be condescending by calling others bleeding hearts when you get so butthurt over the tone of my posts.

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## tod evans

> I wouldn't be condescending by calling others bleeding hearts when you get so butthurt over the tone of my posts.


Go stroke a chicken.

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## Natural Citizen

Watch out, though. Dang chicken'll mess a mofo up in a hot second. I think I still have a couple of nice scars that are still visible. I wasn't trying to strokem, though. Just, you know, to be clear. Heh. I ate him.

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## tod evans

> Watch out, though. Dang chicken'll mess a mofo up in a hot second. I think I still have a couple of nice scars that are still visible. I wasn't trying to strokem, though. Just, you know, to be clear. Heh. I ate him.


People look at me like I'm crazy when I tell 'em chickens will eat anything that holds still and most things they can catch..

I've seen hens peck a black snake completely out of his skin, eat eachother, any and all tablescraps, baby mice (they love to nest in warm chicken houses) etc...

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## Suzanimal

Eggs also make a great mask for your face and hair. I also read you can brush some egg whites on your eyelids for an instant eye lift.

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## donnay

> Eggs also make a great mask for your face and hair. I also read you can brush some egg whites on your eyelids for an instant eye lift.


Hm...going to give that a try.

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## Natural Citizen

> People look at me like I'm crazy when I tell 'em chickens will eat anything that holds still and most things they can catch..
> 
> I've seen hens peck a black snake completely out of his skin, eat eachother, any and all tablescraps, baby mice (they love to nest in warm chicken houses) etc...


Heh. Their own crap, too. Yeah, they're pretty nasty now that I think about it. Sigh, I'm on a chicken n broccoli routine now, too. Now I'll be thinking about this thread every time I eat.

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## Natural Citizen

> Originally Posted by *Suzanimal* 
> 
> Eggs also make a great mask for your face and hair. I also read you can brush some egg whites on your eyelids for an instant eye lift.Hm...going to give that a try.  
> 
> 
> 
> Hm...going to give that a try.


You'll both be left with egg on yer face. Hardy har har har. Heh.

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## tod evans

> Heh. Their own crap, too. Yeah, they're pretty nasty now that I think about it. Sigh, I'm on a chicken n broccoli routine now, too. Now I'll be thinking about this thread every time I eat.


Don't sweat it, the bird is the cleanest part of what you listed unless you grew the rabbit food yourself.....

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## donnay



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## tod evans



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## donnay

> 


Aww...I am all out of rep.  That was great.  I'll catch you later.

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## presence

> For any one who didnt know, male chicks are either ground up alive, or suffocated.   
> 
> That shows a horrible disrespect for life, something that was created by God.


Macerated chicks are made into catfood for domestic house cats, and feed for birds of prey and reptiles; it doesn't go into sewage as a waste product.

I suppose keeping pets is evil and horrible too?

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## lilymc

> Macerated chicks are made into catfood for domestic house cats, and feed for birds of prey and reptiles; it doesn't go into sewage as a waste product.
> 
> I suppose keeping pets is evil and horrible too?



Obviously not, and a ridiculous comparison, iyam. Pets generally aren't abused and killed.

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## lilymc

> I've got a cyber nickle that says the bleeding hearts have never raised chickens...


I've never been called a bleeding heart, but to reply what you said... We weren't talking (at first) about backyard chickens, we were talking about the egg industry.

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## donnay

> I've never been called a bleeding heart, but to reply what you said... We weren't talking (at first) about backyard chickens, we were talking about the egg industry.


In all fairness, Nellie's is not part of the egg industry per se.  They are a group of egg farmers.




> Our Mission
> 
> Exceed customer expectations with the best tasting, highest quality, humanely and sustainably produced eggs available.
> 
> At Nellie’s Free Range Eggs, our family has been farming for four generations. We are totally committed—okay, a little obsessed—with bringing you the highest-quality, safest, and freshest eggs possible.  We are a values-led company, dedicated to the humane treatment of animals and small family farms, who we believe are the best stewards of environmental sustainability.
> 
> *All our eggs come from small family farms like our own home farm. These are real farms, not imposters who slap a “farm-fresh” label on a factory-farm-produced egg. As the nation’s first Certified Humane® egg producer since 2003, we require that our farmers follow the strictest standards of humane animal treatment, safety, and environmental sustainability. But we don’t really need to convince them. Just like us, they think hens have a right to a reasonable life and that will make a better egg for you.*
> 
> *It’s not just good for our hens and our planet—it’s also good business. We stay vital and growing by recruiting other small family farms to supply us with eggs, not by mega-conglomerizing.*
> ...


http://nelliesfreerange.com/us/mission-story/

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## Danke

> 



 I'm starting to understand your attraction to sailor boy.

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## lilymc

> In all fairness, Nellie's is not part of the egg industry per se.  They are a group of egg farmers.
> 
> 
> http://nelliesfreerange.com/us/mission-story/


I know what you mean.  I still want to learn more about Nellie's, before I say much about them.  But I have heard that a lot of the labels that are currently popular (cage-free, free-range, etc.)  are deceptive, and in some cases, the conditions are just as bad as the rest of the animal industry. That's why I'm a bit skeptical about the companies that try to portray themselves as an idyllic,  story-book like farm. 

Btw, where did you find that on their website (what we talked about earlier, about genetic manipulation). Because their website says they produce over 300 eggs a year, which if I'm not mistaken is about the same as the regular egg industry, and those chickens are manipulated to continually lay eggs.

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## donnay

> I know what you mean.  I still want to learn more about Nellie's, before I say much about them.  But I have heard that a lot of the labels that are currently popular (cage-free, free-range, etc.)  are deceptive, and in some cases, the conditions are just as bad as the rest of the animal industry. That's why I'm a bit skeptical about the companies that try to portray themselves as an idyllic,  story-book like farm. 
> 
> Btw, where did you find that on their website (what we talked about earlier, about genetic manipulation). Because their website says they produce over 300 eggs a year, which if I'm not mistaken is about the same as the regular egg industry, and those chickens are manipulated to continually lay eggs.






> When Les passed the farm on to his daughter Carol, son-in-law Gerry Laflamme and Rodney’s son Peter Stanton, they led our farm down a different path – one that led away from factory-style farming.
> 
> Instead of “going industrial,” we changed to supplying free range and organic eggs, produced without antibiotics, hormones, pesticides, GMOs or animal byproducts. Later, we became the first Certified Humane egg farm in the country. Today our brands offer consumers a choice:
> 
>     Certified Humane, Free Range eggs (Nellie’s Free Range Eggs)
>     Certified Humane, Certified Organic eggs (Pete & Gerry’s Organic Eggs).
> http://nelliesfreerange.com/life-farm/nellies-story/
> 
> You can select eggs based on your personal preferences and budget, but know that you’ll always get a deliciously healthy, humanely raised egg that began on a small family farm whether from our own home farm here in Monroe, NH or from one of our independent, small farm partners that help to produce eggs for us under our strict guidelines.


http://nelliesfreerange.com/life-farm/nellies-story/





> Meet Our Family Farmers
> 
> Just like you, our farmers believe that family comes first—and we’re proud that raising our Organic and Free Range Eggs offer them the opportunity to make a good living with a sustainable business that they can keep in the family if they wish. We’d like you to meet the people who proudly supply your eggs.


http://peteandgerrys.com/family-farms/meet-farmers/

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## donnay

> I'm starting to understand your attraction to sailor boy.


Yes, I love my sailor man.  Especially when he does the chicken dance.

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## heavenlyboy34

> Yes, I love my sailor man.  Especially when he does the chicken dance.

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## lilymc

> http://nelliesfreerange.com/life-farm/nellies-story/
> 
> 
> 
> http://peteandgerrys.com/family-farms/meet-farmers/


Thanks.  I saw that earlier, when I checked out their site.  I was talking about something different, but I'm not going to get into it right now, because I'd like to do more research first.

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## presence

> Obviously not, and a ridiculous comparison, iyam. Pets generally aren't abused and killed.


pets are routinely fed macerated chicken hatchlings though_;"chicken by-product meal"_ is the number one ingredient in most dog and cat food

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## specsaregood

> I've got a cyber nickle that says the bleeding hearts have never raised chickens...


I think all kids should have to spend at least one summer cleaning out chicken coops.  It will help them look at future jobs with the proper perspective.

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## lilymc

> pets are routinely fed macerated chicken hatchlings though_;"chicken by-product meal"_ is the number one ingredient in most dog and cat food


There are other options.  I think many people aren't aware of the ugly practices they're supporting through either eating eggs or the pet food they buy.   You don't seem to have a problem with it, but I have a feeling that if everyone knew exactly what they were supporting, a hell of a lot of people would make changes.  It's the same with milk, meat, and many other animal products.

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## Zippyjuan

> I know what you mean.  I still want to learn more about Nellie's, before I say much about them.  But I have heard that a lot of the labels that are currently popular (cage-free, free-range, etc.)  are deceptive, and in some cases, the conditions are just as bad as the rest of the animal industry. That's why I'm a bit skeptical about the companies that try to portray themselves as an idyllic,  story-book like farm. 
> 
> Btw, where did you find that on their website (what we talked about earlier, about genetic manipulation). Because their website says they produce over 300 eggs a year, which if I'm not mistaken is about the same as the regular egg industry, and those chickens are manipulated to continually lay eggs.


This is Pete and Gerry's place.  They are one of the ranchers who produce eggs for Nellies.  They seem to have a lot of chickens in that space. 



They had a fire on their property and thousands of birds were killed. How many?  http://www.unionleader.com/Fire-kill...farm-in-Monroe




> MONROE – A fast moving fire killed thousands of hens early Wednesday morning at the Pete and Gerry's Organics LLC egg farm on Buffum Road.
> 
> "We've lost two flocks of young hens," said Jesse Laflamme, the company's co-owner, in the fire which was discovered around 2 a.m. yesterday in one of the* nine large barns* on the Pete and Gerry's property that cumulatively contain *some 100,000 laying birds*.


100,000 birds in nine barns averages eleven thousand in each barn.  That is a lot of birds! They are cage free (and yes, their eggs may be rolling around in their poop before they get picked up and packed for you to buy). If they are fed an organic diet, they can be called organic eggs. If they have access to the outside (even if they don't actually go out there) they can be called "free range".  Check out that video from Nellies.  Note how few of the chickens are outside of that huge barn behind them.  Only a tiny portion of the thousands of birds in there are going outside- yet all of them qualify as "free range". 

Doesn't look quite like the pictures on their website.  http://nelliesfreerange.com/certifie...tified-humane/

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## fr33

> I hate to be the party pooper, but there are a number of problems with eating eggs... I'm not sure where to begin. 
> 
> First, even if it's true that that company treats their chickens humanely (which I doubt), on their own website they admit that they (like the rest of the egg industry) have no use for male chicks and they are sent off to be killed.
> 
> From their site: (bold mine)
> 
> Once the chicks are hatched, they are sorted by gender. The female chicks will become egg laying hens and are transported at one day old to the pullet house. Unfortunately, there is no role for male chickens of this breed in egg farming. And, male chickens from laying breeds are not suitable for meat because they mature very slowly.  Additionally, they cannot be kept with the hens. In a cage free or free range environment, the roosters tendency to fight would create a terrible, inhumane environment for hens. *So, given that there is no viable market for the male chicks, the hatcheries euthanize them*. To do this, the hatcheries use one of the practices recommended by the American Veterinary Medical Association.  We do not have control over which practice they use and it varies depending on the hatchery.  *However, none of the practices are very appealing.* We wish that there was an alternative, but there currently are no hatcheries available to us that produce chicks without male chick culling.
> 
> For any one who didn’t know, male chicks are either ground up alive, or suffocated.   That shows a horrible disrespect for life, something that was created by God.
> ...


If you eat grain or vegetables that you didn't raise, you alone are likely responsible for hundreds of thousands of deaths of animals yearly, both varmints and insects (and other larger ones), during the harvesting.

I sure hope you don't drive an automobile. If you do, you are crushing living beings every time you drive. Oh the horror.

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## Zippyjuan

Nellies says they are "Certified Humane".  What does that mean?  They can still cut their beaks.  Is that humane? 




> A second-best option is *Certified Humane*, which *bans forced molting but not beak cutting.* Both AWA and Certified Humane - Free Range require outdoor access, for better or worse (Certified Humane has different levels of certification; the basic level doesn't require outdoor access). Certified Humane is a lot easier to find in the grocery store, with brands like Nellie's and Open Nature making the cut.


http://www.vox.com/2015/12/25/106627...bels-cage-free

What about chicken's health?  What environment has the chickens living longer? 




> There are some disadvantages to the barn/aviary cage-free approach. Most significantly, *mortality is significantly higher*: Norwood and Lusk estimate that the mortality rate in cage systems is 3 percent, while it's 7 percent for cage free, 9 percent for free range, and 13 percent for organic. At first glance, that's a point in favor of an enriched cage approach, not a cage-free approach.


So brown egg laying organic free range chickens have on average the shortest life spans. 




> The brown hen/white hen divide isn't the only thing accounting for differences in mortality rates, though. Free-range birds and organic birds face even higher death rates than non-free-range cage-free birds, and those differences probably are a consequence of differences in how the animals are treated. Free-range birds are at very real risk of predation, which leads to them registering similar stress levels as caged birds. They also face a greater danger from parasites. This can be overcome to some degree through predator protection measures like tall wire fencing, but merely knowing that eggs are "free range" doesn't tell you that the hens had that kind of safety. "The desirability of any free range system depends crucially on predator protection and the indoor housing facilities provided," Norwood and Lusk conclude. They argue for considering free range an "optional component" of cage free production.
> 
> In other words: don't go actively looking for free range eggs. Cage free alone is good, and in some cases even better than free range.

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## Natural Citizen

> If you eat grain or vegetables that you didn't raise, you alone are likely responsible for hundreds of thousands of deaths of animals yearly, both varmints and insects (and other larger ones), during the harvesting.
> 
> I sure hope you don't drive an automobile. If you do, you are crushing living beings every time you drive. Oh the horror.


Yeah, but at least those varmints out in the open wild lived on the principle of Live Free or Die.

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## lilymc

> If you eat grain or vegetables that you didn't raise, you alone are likely responsible for hundreds of thousands of deaths of animals yearly, both varmints and insects (and other larger ones), during the harvesting.
> 
> I sure hope you don't drive an automobile. If you do, you are crushing living beings every time you drive. Oh the horror.


If you don't think there's a difference between the unintentional killing of insects or field mice, and the _deliberate_ grinding alive or suffocating of baby chicks, then I don't know what to tell you.  

But I'm not sure what your point is anyway.  I actually never stated my position on killing animals in general, so you're assuming things, based on my comment against the egg industry.   I don't even call myself a vegan.  I eat a plant-based diet, but I don't agree with vegans on a few things, and for a couple other reasons, I don't usually identify as a vegan.

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## fr33

> If you don't think there's a difference between the unintentional killing of insects or field mice, and the _deliberate_ grinding alive or suffocating of baby chicks, then I don't know what to tell you.


If you know the consequences then it is deliberate. Get off your high horse already and stop with the virtue signalling. The grinder is often more humane and quick than you cutting off the legs of an animal who dies slowly.

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## Suzanimal

> Watch out, though. Dang chicken'll mess a mofo up in a hot second. I think I still have a couple of nice scars that are still visible. I wasn't trying to strokem, though. Just, you know, to be clear. Heh. I ate him.


I hate chickens. We had them when I was little and I got attacked by a rooster - he almost got me in the eye and I still have a scar. It was a completely unprovoked attack, btw. My dad went and killed them all and we never kept them again. I think he wanted to because he would have me look at ads for bantam hens in the Market Bulletin and talk about how we could set up another coop. I told him that wasn't gonna happen. We ended up raising rabbits to eat until I got attached to them. 

I have no problem killing or eating a nasty ass chicken. I don't want to see them treated inhumanely but I'll wring a chickens neck and not blink an eye. My aunt and uncle raise them and I get my eggs and most of my chicken from them. I won't go in the coop but I'll go in their fenced area and snatch up a fat one in a heartbeat. Sounds cold but I hate their beady little eyes, nasty looking beaks, and especially, their gross little tongues.*shudders* I also hate peacocks. My Aunt and Uncle raise those, too. They have one named Petey and he's a mean son of a bitch.

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## Danke

> I hate chickens. We had them when I was little and I got attacked by a rooster - he almost got me in the eye and I still have a scar. It was a completely unprovoked attack, btw. My dad went and killed them all and we never kept them again. I think he wanted to because he would have me look at ads for bantam hens in the Market Bulletin and talk about how we could set up another coop. I told him that wasn't gonna happen. We ended up raising rabbits to eat until I got attached to them. 
> 
> I have no problem killing or eating a nasty ass chicken. I don't want to see them treated inhumanely but I'll wring a chickens neck and not blink an eye. My aunt and uncle raise them and I get my eggs and most of my chicken from them. I won't go in the coop but I'll go in their fenced area and snatch up a fat one in a heartbeat. Sounds cold but I hate their beady little eyes, nasty looking beaks, and especially, their gross little tongues.*shudders* I also hate peacocks. My Aunt and Uncle raise those, too. They have one named Petey and he's a mean son of a bitch.


"Palaeontologists have long accepted that birds are a form of dinosaur. Now the theory that the most feared dinosaur of all, Tyrannosaurus Rex, evolved into the modern-day chicken has been given scientific backing with the discovery of some pre-historic collagen" http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencete...d-chicken.html

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## Suzanimal

> "Palaeontologists have long accepted that birds are a form of dinosaur. Now the theory that the most feared dinosaur of all, Tyrannosaurus Rex, evolved into the modern-day chicken has been given scientific backing with the discovery of some pre-historic collagen" http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencete...d-chicken.html


Oh how the mighty have fallen from TRex to chicken. I didn't think it was possible for me to care less about chickens but now that I know they were dinosaurs, it kinda makes me want to go kill one today.

I snatch 'em up by the neck, give 'em a few spins, and slam them on the side of the coop - that's my signature move.

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## Suzanimal

There's my scar from my rooster attack.

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## tod evans

> Oh how the mighty have fallen from TRex to chicken. I didn't think it was possible for me to care less about chickens but now that I know they were dinosaurs, it kinda makes me want to go kill one today.
> 
> I snatch 'em up by the neck, give 'em a few spins, and slam them on the side of the coop - that's my signature move.


I'm fond of both the 12" chefs knife and the hatchet......

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## opal

I prefer raising ducks.. and like duck eggs better than chicken eggs.




> "Palaeontologists have long accepted that birds are a form of dinosaur. Now the theory that the most feared dinosaur of all, Tyrannosaurus Rex, evolved into the modern-day chicken has been given scientific backing with the discovery of some pre-historic collagen" http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencete...d-chicken.html


at two - three weeks old.. ducks look like little dinosaurs - right between the fluff and feather stage.  The duck adventure thing I watch on youtube has a crap load of that age right now

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## Zippyjuan

Chickens.  The only animals we eat before they are born and after they are dead.

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## Danke

> Chickens.  The only animals we eat before they are born and after they are dead.


Roe?

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## heavenlyboy34

> Chickens.  The only animals we eat before they are born and after they are dead.


Nah. There's also goose and pheasant. Probably some others I can't think of ATM.

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## William Tell

> I know what you mean.  I still want to learn more about Nellie's, before I say much about them.  But I have heard that a lot of the labels that are currently popular (cage-free, free-range, etc.)  are deceptive, and in some cases, the conditions are just as bad as the rest of the animal industry. That's why I'm a bit skeptical about the companies that try to portray themselves as an idyllic,  story-book like farm.


 It is true that labels are meaningless. There are however, many farms out there that are as close to a story-book farm as you can get. Polyface being the most famous example. I don't know anything about Nellie's.




> Btw, where did you find that on their website (what we talked about earlier, about genetic manipulation). Because their website says they produce over 300 eggs a year, which if I'm not mistaken is about the same as the regular egg industry, and those chickens are manipulated to continually lay eggs.


Again I don't know about Nellie's. But I'm not sure what you mean exactly by genetic manipulation, I can't say I have looked into that much but I am pretty familiar with chicken breeds. There are a number of them that produce close to that number of eggs, I can't say I'm a fan of most of those breeds but they aren't gmo or anything, at least as far as I know. There are other ways factory farms try to get chickens to lay more, such as leaving lights on all the time, which isn't healthy for the chickens longterm.

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## lilymc

> It is true that labels are meaningless. There are however, many farms out there that are as close to a story-book farm as you can get. Polyface being the most famous example. I don't know anything about Nellie's.
> 
> 
> Again I don't know about Nellie's. But I'm not sure what you mean exactly by genetic manipulation, I can't say I have looked into that much but I am pretty familiar with chicken breeds. There are a number of them that produce close to that number of eggs, I can't say I'm a fan of most of those breeds but they aren't gmo or anything, at least as far as I know. There are other ways factory farms try to get chickens to lay more, such as leaving lights on all the time, which isn't healthy for the chickens longterm.



 Hi.    Well, I wasn't really clear before (and as I said to donnay, I still want to do more research before I get into this too much) but what I was talking about was years of selective breeding that has changed chickens from what they were naturally, to what we have now - chickens that lay a large amount of eggs.   As a Christian, I'm sure you would agree that when we mess with nature too much - especially for the wrong reasons - there are usually problems with that.

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## William Tell

> Hi.    Well, I wasn't really clear before (and as I said to donnay, I still want to do more research before I get into this too much) but what I was talking about was years of selective breeding that has changed chickens from what they were naturally, to what we have now - chickens that lay a large amount of eggs.


 Oh, ok. Yeah, high egg production is the main trait they breed for in the chicken world. 




> As a Christian, I'm sure you would agree that when we mess with nature too much - especially for the wrong reasons - there are usually problems with that.


I certainly think "playing God" is not a good thing at all, different people have opinions on how to define that though. I am totally against GMO type stuff. But I don't think all selective breeding is bad. I believe God gave man dominion over animals, and I think keeping the individual cattle that give the most milk, or chickens that lay the most eggs makes sense in general. What I don't like is when they start treating truly good traits as bad, and trying to cull those. For example with laying hens, the commercial breeders have pretty much bred the mothering trait out of some breeds of chickens. Because, naturally they want their hens laying, not setting on eggs all the time. I don't think its really immoral for them to want to breed that way, but I personally don't like it. I like animals that can take care of themselves and raise their own. I'm old fashioned that way.

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## specsaregood

> What I don't like is when they start treating truly good traits as bad, and trying to cull those. For example with laying hens, the commercial breeders have pretty much bred the mothering trait out of some breeds of chickens. Because, naturally they want their hens laying, not setting on eggs all the time. I don't think its really immoral for them to want to breed that way, but I personally don't like it. I like animals that can take care of themselves and raise their own. I'm old fashioned that way.


What is the point of having a mothering trait if all the eggs you are laying are unfertilized?  you want them bred to lay on eggs that will never hatch?

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## lilymc

> Oh, ok. Yeah, high egg production is the main trait they breed for in the chicken world.



That and an unnaturally large chest, which also causes problems.  Take a look at this:







> I certainly think "playing God" is not a good thing at all, different people have opinions on how to define that though. I am totally against GMO type stuff. But I don't think all selective breeding is bad. I believe God gave man dominion over animals, and I think keeping the individual cattle that give the most milk, or chickens that lay the most eggs makes sense in general. What I don't like is when they start treating truly good traits as bad, and trying to cull those. For example with laying hens, the commercial breeders have pretty much bred the mothering trait out of some breeds of chickens. Because, naturally they want their hens laying, not setting on eggs all the time. I don't think its really immoral for them to want to breed that way, but I personally don't like it. I like animals that can take care of themselves and raise their own. I'm old fashioned that way.


But if those selectively bred "good traits"  cause the animals to be sick, in pain, and die young... then how good are they?  As you know, animals are God's creations too. I believe they should be treated with respect and compassion. 


A righteous man has regard for the life of his animal, But even the compassion of the wicked is cruel. - Proverbs 12:10

Know well the condition of your flocks, and give attention to your herds, - Proverbs 27:23

“If you see your fellow Israelite’s ox or sheep straying, do not ignore it but be sure to take it back to its owner.” - Deuteronomy 22:1

“Which of you, having a son or an ox that has fallen into a well on a Sabbath day, will not immediately pull him out?” - Luke 14:5

"For every beast of the forest is Mine, The cattle on a thousand hills. "*I know every bird of the mountains*, And everything that moves in the field is Mine. - Psalm 50:10-11

"But now ask the beasts, and let them teach you; And the birds of the heavens, and let them tell you.  - Job 12:7

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## fr33

Chickens being stacked in cages and bred to be efficient food is a logistical solution to humans stacking themselves in similar cages.



Rather than attacking those who choose to feed the masses, why not attack the masses who choose to be fed by others...

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## bunklocoempire

Chicken egg makers fend pretty well for themselves & free pest control.
Eggs are awesome -even if HB says so.
Chicken poop is great.
Chickens keep politician types in check -or try to.
Stringy-tough bird meat is enchiladas.

Healthy?  Moderation and it's cool, -unless it's not.  Trade those eggs if they don't agree with you or family.  Think depression, think personal chickens.

_"Now shut yer mouth and give yer money to Coco."_

Postin' a tune boss-

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## presence

> What I don't like is when they start treating truly good traits as bad, and trying to cull those. For example with laying hens, the commercial breeders have pretty much bred the mothering trait out of some breeds of chickens. Because, naturally they want their hens laying, not setting on eggs all the time. I don't think its really immoral for them to want to breed that way, but I personally don't like it. I like animals that can take care of themselves and raise their own. I'm old fashioned that way.


You're just personifying the mom and dad nuclear household on another species.   Chickens have a totally different family / social structure. 

When I raised birds I'd keep 30 laying hens per rooster, that's all thats necessary for virtually 100% fertilized eggs while minimizing how often and how hard each hen gets raped by poppa.  most of the hens were "egg layers" (barreds, reds, orps, dominiques, etc.) but 1-2 of them were "sitters" like silkies.     The one or two silkies I'd keep in the flock would be all I would need to hatch the eggs for the rest of the varieties.  

so one rooster and one silkie is all it takes to carry one the genetics of 30 other laying hens. 

Each year you cull 10 oldest laying birds and let the silkie repopulate the flock by surrogate in the spring with 20 chicks.   As soon as the young males become feral / draw blood you cull those for meat.   Every three years you roast the big poppa rooster and the silkie.  Its very efficient; for the most part they take care of themselves.

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## presence

> That and an unnaturally large chest, which also causes problems.  Take a look at this:





so I suppose most dog breeds are cruel and inhumane as well?   Every one of them has drawbacks induced by selective breeding.

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## William Tell

> What is the point of having a mothering trait if all the eggs you are laying are unfertilized?


 There is no point for the individual hens that are in the factory farms with no roosters. But if I had the choice of a high production hen that would set, or one that wouldn't I would go with the one that would set.





> you want them bred to lay on eggs that will never hatch?


 People can breed how they want, but if I buy a Rhode Island Red hen, I would like it to sit on eggs. I realize I am be in the minority as far as what I want, and I don't expect others to agree with me. It is just my personal preference. Kind of like how most people buy dogs for pets, but some good ol' boys would be annoyed if hound breeders managed to breed the tracking trait out of them.

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## William Tell

> You're just personifying the mom and dad nuclear household on another species.   Chickens have a totally different family / social structure.


No, I'm not. I realize that chickens are different than people, I have been around them my whole life. I do the whole taking eggs from one hen and giving it to a game hen or whatever to hatch. That works fine, I still wish my egg layers would set. It's just one of my favorite traits personally.

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## lilymc

> so I suppose most dog breeds are cruel and inhumane as well?   Every one of them has drawbacks induced by selective breeding.


Did you not watch that video I posted?   You should watch it first, then youll realize that your comparison is not relevant.  The point was about animals who could not even lift their own weight and who are clearly suffering because of their immobility and not being able to function as they would naturally. Which does not apply to dogs.

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## presence

> No, I'm not. I realize that chickens are different than people, I have been around them my whole life. I do the whole taking eggs from one hen and giving it to a game hen or whatever to hatch. That works fine, I still wish my egg layers would set. It's just one of my favorite traits personally.


Setting is incompatible with egg laying; they're at two different end of the survival spectrum.   At one end you have mother putting all energy into one egg, not leaving the nest and not feeding as heavily.   On the other end you have a mother laying tons of eggs and abandoning them in hope another bird will orphan them or climate conditions and their occassional return will be enough.     So if you want birds that are "egg layers" and you expect them to gather the calories necessary on a daily basis to make a daily egg... you can't expect them to sit around and keep eggs warm.

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## presence

> Did you not watch that video I posted?   You should watch it first, then you’ll realize that your comparison is not relevant.  The point was about animals who could not even lift their own weight and who are clearly suffering because of their immobility and not being able to function as they would naturally. Which does not apply to dogs.





> The *Pug* is a Brachycephalic breed – meaning short and broad skull. *Pugs* usually have serious *breathing problems* as a direct result of their exaggerated, flat face.


how is difficulty lifting one's own weight any better or worse than difficulty breathing?

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## William Tell

> Setting is incompatible with egg laying; they're at two different end of the survival spectrum.   At one end you have mother putting all energy into one egg, not leaving the nest and not feeding as heavily.   On the other end you have a mother laying tons of eggs and abandoning them in hope another bird will orphan them or climate conditions and their occassional return will be enough.     So if you want birds that are "egg layers" and you expect them to gather the calories necessary on a daily basis to make a daily egg... you can't expect them to sit around and keep eggs warm.


 I like birds that lay eggs, and if I leave 12 eggs in a nest they will incubate them. Works fine for me.

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## William Tell

> That and an unnaturally large chest, which also causes problems.


Yes, commercial meat birds are not healthy.




> But if those selectively bred "good traits"  cause the animals to be sick, in pain, and die young... then how good are they?  As you know, animals are God's creations too. I believe they should be treated with respect and compassion.


 Good points. But not all of the egg or meat breeds are so extreme as to cause them to be unhealthy. Again, I prefer traditional animals that can fend for themselves as much as possible. But, what about some of the dog breeds that exist that are large and have health problems and die young, do you think the breeders should just let them die out? 



 


> A righteous man has regard for the life of his animal, But even the compassion of the wicked is cruel. - Proverbs 12:10
> 
> Know well the condition of your flocks, and give attention to your herds, - Proverbs 27:23
> 
> If you see your fellow Israelites ox or sheep straying, do not ignore it but be sure to take it back to its owner. - Deuteronomy 22:1
> 
> Which of you, having a son or an ox that has fallen into a well on a Sabbath day, will not immediately pull him out? - Luke 14:5
> 
> "For every beast of the forest is Mine, The cattle on a thousand hills. "*I know every bird of the mountains*, And everything that moves in the field is Mine. - Psalm 50:10-11
> ...


 All good and relevant verses. But there is one other passage I want to add to put things in perspective from my point of view. 


> Matthew 10:29 Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Fathers care.[b] 30 And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 31 *So dont be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.*


 
Yes, animals are important, all of God's creation is. As individuals we certainly  should take good care of our animals. Regardless of  their breed or purpose. 

What concerns me is when animals are viewed on the same level as people.  It can end up leading to a dangerous place with legislation, and it is  not biblical. As a child I remember I was more fond of one of my pets  than I was of a lot of people. Emotionally it makes sense that a kid would like a cute kitten more than some bully down the street. But that isn't the way God sees things, Jesus came to die for mankind.


I remember in the touching allegory  Nathan the prophet told David, how the man loved his lamb so much.  David overreacted (understandably, due to his usually kind heart) and  said the rich man who killed the lamb should die, a punishment far more severe than what God's law called with regard to the crime. I guess I might be getting a little off topic, and I'm not saying you disagree with any of this, but the point is just that I don't spend as much time worrying about animals problems as I would if we humans had everything going well.

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## lilymc

> Yes, commercial meat birds are not healthy.
> 
>  Good points. But not all of the egg or meat breeds are so extreme as to cause them to be unhealthy. Again, I prefer traditional animals that can fend for themselves as much as possible. But, what about some of the dog breeds that exist that are large and have health problems and die young, do you think the breeders should just let them die out? 
> 
> 
> 
>   All good and relevant verses. But there is one other passage I want to add to put things in perspective from my point of view.  
> 
> 
> ...


I definitely agree and share your concern that some people put animals on the same level as humans.   That's one of the reasons I don't call myself a vegan, because many (not all) vegans hold unbiblical and misanthropic views.   

But I also think that many Christians have dropped the ball, when it comes to certain things that God put us in charge of.   I don't know if you read that thread about saturated fats that donnay and I were having a discussion on... I posted a video on that thread about 'dominion' and the misunderstanding that many people have about it, in my view.   If you want, I'll go get the link and post the video here.

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## lilymc

Here it is...

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## sparkflats

I like eggs simple because it's tasty, cheap and you can do variety of cooking with it.

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## fr33

> I like eggs simple because it's tasty, cheap and you can do variety of cooking with it.


It's also healthy and requires fewer resources than most vegetable farming does for the same amount of calories.

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## sunithapu

Many people think of eggs as unhealthy or fattening but, I totally love eggs. I feel eating eggs is a fantastic way to give yourself a healthy boost. Eating whole eggs is vital. In case if youre not fond of eating eggs regularly, check out some amazing facts why you should include eggs in your diet.

So, whats up with eggs?

When it comes to Vitamins, eggs are packed with several other essential vitamins that are required for a healthy you.

Vitamin A (retinol) is good for your eyesight. 
Vitamin B2 (riboflavin) breaks down food into energy
Vitamin B12 (cobalamin) aids in producing red blood cells 
Vitamin E (tocopherol), which fights off the free radicals that can cause tissue and cellular damage, which may lead to cancer

Eggs are loaded with important minerals such as iron, zinc and phosphorus that are vital for your body. Zinc helps in maintaining immune system in good state, helps your body convert food into energy & Phosphorus is good for healthy bones and teeth.

There are some trace elements in eggs namely iodine that are essential to make thyroid hormones. It also contains selenium, an antioxidant that helps in reducing the risk of cancer.

I hope by now youre totally convinced that incorporating eggs into your daily diet can help prevent a host of diseases. The myriad benefits of eggs include reducing the risk of heart disease, boosts weight loss, maintains proper liver functioning and brain health, keep your heart strong and protects your skins health too. Apart from these, consuming eggs can be a great help for those who are suffering with PCOS condition which is a great concern for many women.

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## donnay

> Many people think of eggs as ‘unhealthy” or ‘fattening’ but, I totally love eggs. I feel eating eggs is a fantastic way to give yourself a healthy boost. Eating whole eggs is vital. In case if you’re not fond of eating eggs regularly, check out some amazing facts why you should include eggs in your diet.
> 
> So, what’s up with eggs?
> 
> When it comes to Vitamins, eggs are packed with several other essential vitamins that are required for a healthy you.
> 
> Vitamin A (retinol) is good for your eyesight. 
> Vitamin B2 (riboflavin) breaks down food into energy
> Vitamin B12 (cobalamin) aids in producing red blood cells 
> ...


Nice first post.  Welcome!

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## sunithapu

Thanku so much...

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