7 Egg Label Claims You Need to Know

For the first time in more than 50 years, eggs could be sold in a new healthy light and not with a cholesterol warning. This all depends if the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee files its springtime report with USDA and HHS (after the public comment period), and sticks to its decision to no longer caution against eating foods that contain cholesterol.

Either way, eggs are great any time of the day; for breakfast, lunch or dinner or even a quick snack, they provide a ton of nutrition for low cost, and they don’t take long to prepare. So what kinds of eggs should you choose? Here are some of the different ways eggs are marketed in the US:

• Cage-free or free-roaming: Over 90 percent of hens are raised in cages that are between 48 and 68 square inches. Birds that are cage-free or free-roaming are not caged; however, they likely were still raised within the confines of a small building and generally do not have access to the outdoors. So this is a distinction without much of a difference.

• Certified humane: For a farm to make this claim, it must meet specific criteria: The hens may not be caged; their feed must be vegetarian and contain no antibiotics; and the birds need to live in a natural environment that allows for behaviors like preening and scratching.

• Fertile: These are eggs that, when incubated, will develop into chicks. They are no more nutritious than other eggs and are usually priced higher than others. Usually fertile eggs are cage free and come from hen houses where roosters roam as well; some consumers believe this is a more natural habitat.

• Grass-fed/Pastured: There is no USDA-approved definition of this term when it comes to hens. Farms touting grass-fed egg laying hens claim their hens are as close to being “wild” as possible. Grass-fed hens are usually allowed to roam freely and so they eat a variety of things found in their natural habitat: grass, bugs, and whatever animals they might catch and kill. All of these (individually and together) contain adequate protein. (Including vegetation) Because this term is not USDA regulated, if you are interested in purchasing grass-fed eggs it may be best to get to know your farmer and their farming practices.

• Hormone free: The use of hormones in poultry has been banned since the 1960s. So by law, all eggs are hormone-free. If a carton offers this claim alone, it’s a waste of money if it costs more.

• Natural: This is another meaningless term. According to regulations from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Food and Drug Administration, no additives or colors can ever be added to eggs.

• USDA-certified organic: This means that the hens have eaten only organic feed and grain grown without fungicides, herbicides, commercial fertilizers, and pesticides and that their diet hasn’t contained any animal or poultry by-products. The hens also have not been given any antibiotics or growth hormones, and they’ve been allowed access to the outdoor.

So what are the best eggs for your nutrition buck? Look for pastured eggs or those that have access to the outdoors (although this is no guarantee); also get to know your local farmers and find out how their chickens are raised – this is your best bet for the best nutrition and for supporting your local economy and community.

According to Mother Earth News, one (of many) study demonstrated that free-range or pasture-raised chicken eggs have four to six times more vitamin D (one of the only natural sources), three times more vitamin E, two-thirds more vitamin A, one third less cholesterol, and seven times more beta carotene. They also have two times more omega-3 essential fatty acids, and some would say a better taste. Buying eggs from a local farmer also ensures their freshness, you know they were produced only days before.

In any case, eggs are a great all day long and all year round!

[via Supermarket Guru]

16 Superb Health Benefits of Cucumber

Pick a handful of firm, dark green cucumbers and pop them into your shopping basket.

Congratulations! You have just bought yourself a fruit (yes, the cool cuke is fruit, not a vegetable) full of good health!

Here is a short list of the impressive health benefits that a cucumber carries:

• Keeps you hydrated. If you are too busy to drink enough water, munch on the cool cucumber, which is 96 percent water. It will cheerfully compensate!
• Fights heat, both inside and out. Eat cucumber, and your body gets relief from heartburn. Apply cucumber on your skin, and you get relief from sunburn.
• Flushes out toxins. All that water in cucumber acts as a virtual broom, sweeping waste products out of your system. With regular use, cucumber is known to dissolve kidney stones.
• Lavishes you with vitamins. A B and C, which boost immunity, give you energy, and keep you radiant. Give it more power by juicing cucumber with carrot and spinach.
• Supplies skin-friendly minerals: magnesium, potassium, silicon. That’s why cucumber-based treatments abound in spas.
• Aids in weight loss. Enjoy cucumbers in your salads and soups. My favorite snack? Crunchy cucumber sticks with creamy low-fat yogurt dip.
• Revives the eyes. Placing chilled slices of cucumber on the eyes is a clichéd beauty visual, but it really helps reduce under-eye bags and puffiness.
• Cuts cancer. Cut down your risk of several cancers by including cucumber in your diet. Several studies show its cancer-fighting potential.
• Stabilizes blood pressure. Patients of blood pressure, both high and low, often find that eating cucumber brings relief.
• Refreshes the mouth. Cucumber juice refreshes and heals diseased gums, leaving your mouth smelling good.
• Helps digestion. Chewing cucumber gives the jaws a good workout, and the fiber in it is great for digestion.
• Smooths hair and nails. Silica, the wonder mineral in cucumber makes your hair and nails stronger and shinier.
• Soothes muscle and joint pain. All those vitamins and minerals in cucumber make it a powerful enemy of muscle and joint pain.
• Keeps kidneys in shape. Cucumber lowers uric acid levels in your system, keeping the kidneys happy.
• Good for diabetics. Patients of diabetes can enjoy cucumber while also reaping its health benefits: cucumber contains a hormone needed by the cells of the pancreas for producing insulin.
• Reduces cholesterol. A compound called sterols in cucumber helps reduce bad cholesterol.

[via Care2]

Celery Lowers Blood Pressure Naturally and Effectively

While most doctors prescribe powerful hypertension drugs that cause numerous side effects, there is a simple way to reduce blood pressure and balance cholesterol levels, and it doesn’t come in a bottle. Celery has been used for centuries to treat everything from urinary tract infections to skin conditions, but it is most profoundly useful as a treatment for hypertension. This is due to its high concentrations of a substance called 3-butylphthalide, described by researchers at the University of Chicago Medical Center as a chemical that both reduces blood pressure by relaxing the smooth muscle lining of blood vessels, and purifying the blood of toxins.

The study abstract concluded with:

“Conclusions: The results from this pilot study suggest that celery seed extract may have clinically relevant blood pressure–lowering effects, indicating that additional clinical research is warranted.”

Eating or juicing just four stalks of celery a day prompts a decrease in both blood pressure and cholesterol levels. In addition to this health-giving benefit, celery is also full of vitamin C, fiber, and potassium, so it is a great post-workout replenishment. Celery is also 90% water so it is a very alkalizing food. During the Roman Empire, celery was fed to livestock to help de-acidify their diets. It also helped to cure the effects of feasting heavily, and was eaten the morning after a glutenous night of binging.

One of your favorite pale green vegetables, celery (Apium graveolens), is even mentioned by Homer in the Odyssey in 850 B.C. and by Chinese healers alike as a powerful healing food. Celery has also been used by Dutch healers since the eighteenth century and Chinese herbalists since the fifth century.

It is estimated that Americans spent more than 5 billion dollars on hypertension drugs in just the past five years alone. Celery is an inexpensive way to treat this disease without side effects that accompany drugs like Adderall or Celexa, Cipro, and Hydrocodone. Why would anyone want to suffer from nausea, dizziness, loss of sexual appetite, light headedness, insomnia, and other unpleasant side effects when celery provides only life sustaining nutrients and a natural hypertension solution?

Just be sure to purchase your celery organically, since it is listed as one of the dirty dozen, which is a list of fruit and veggies that contain high levels of pesticide residues when purchased conventionally.

[via Natural Society]

Breakfast: The Most Important Meal of Every Day

Arch Design House shows us that Breakfast really is the most important meal of the day...every single day. 

"Breakfast is the most important meal."

93% of Americans totally agree with this statement

But surprisingly, 56% SKIP breakfast every day

People who skip breakfast tend to have: 

-Higher cholesterol

-Elevated insulin levels

-Larger waist circumferences

Benefits of eating breakfast: 

-Improved concentration & performance

-More strength & endurance to engage in physical activity

-Lower cholesterol levels

Breakfast eaters by age: 

18-24 : 53%

34-44 : 55%

45-54 : 54%

55-64 : 71%

65+    : 83%

The Most odd breakfast: 

39% of Americans have at some point, eaten cold pizza for breakfast

This is a phenomenon documented by singer Christine Lavin back in 1986: 

"I want cold pizza for breakfast and a pinch 'o cold spaghetti will do but there's nothing in the world that I like better than eatin' cold pizza with you"

and here's what normal Americans eat for breakfast: 

31%: Cold Cereal

13%: Meat & Eggs

12%: Toast, French Toast, Bagels

9%: Eggs

9%: Hot Cereal

6%: Fruit

4%: Muffins & Pastries

3%: Bacon

3%: Yogurt & Smoothies

2%: Pancakes & Waffles

8%: Other

So what should I eat for breakfast?

-Oatmeal with flaxseed, blueberries, almonds

-Cereal with milk

-Yogurt with fresh berries, granola

-Fruit: Cut up apples, melons, berries, oranges, pears, bananas, grapes (and cottage cheese if you're brave)

-Eggs: Hard boiled, omelet, scrambled, sunny side up

-Muffins: Blueberry, banana, oat bran

-Toast & Bread: French toast, pizza toast, cream cheese, PB & J

-Waffles & Pancakes with maple syrup

"All happiness depends on a leisurely breakfast"

     - John Gunther