Organic eggs are produced by hens fed rations produced without commercial fertilizers or pesticides. Vegetarian eggs are produced from hens fed only vegetable-based rations. Pasteurized eggs, in shell and liquid form, have been heated to the point where bacteria are inactivated. They are especially useful in products calling for raw eggs, which could contain Salmonella enteriditis, a type of bacteria associated with numerous foodborne illness outbreaks. Eggs have garnered their share of controversy in the nutrition world over the years, but critics have eased up on these oval wonders.
Eggs are nutrient dense, providing a good proportion of nutrients compared with their calories.
In fact, eggs are the gold star standard when it comes to protein because they closely match what the human body needs, ranking second only to human mother s milk. Cooked eggs are soft and easy to chew for those with chewing problems. They re also economical at less than a dime each, depending on where you live. Eggs contain two carotenoid pigments, lutein and zeaxanthin, that appear to have a protective effect against macular degeneration, one of the leading causes of blindness. One research study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition showed that the pigments from eggs may be absorbed even better than similar pigments from carrots and spinach.