The Benefits of Eating Organic Eggs During Pregnancy

When pregg-nant, eating the right foods is important for mom and baby. But there is so much conflicting information out there—should you avoid fish because of the mercury or eat it because of the omega 3’s? Is meat too fatty or should you eat it for the protein? And is there really such a thing as too much cake? You only live once, right? There are several healthy choices, but we think the benefits of organic eggs outweigh the rest. Here’s why:

• High in protein: for moms suffering from morning sickness, a high-protein diet can sometimes help stabilize it (by morning sickness, we mean the general, run-of-the-mill kind, not hyperemesis gravidarum, which is a serious medical condition that should be treated by a health care provider). That’s because foods high in protein help stabilize the blood sugar, avoiding the “dive bomb” that most pregnant women experience. Incidentally, eggs are high in protein. In addition to helping with morning sickness, the protein in eggs also helps feed baby’s cells, giving them a little extra boost during development.

• Low calorie, high impact: For only about 90 calories, the benefits of organic eggs are remarkable. Not only are they rich in more than 12 vitamins and minerals, but the eggs from Chino Valley Ranchers are high in omega 3’s, which help in baby’s brain and vision development. Eggs also contain vitamin B, which helps with the normal development of nerve tissue and may reduce the risk of birth defects. In addition, eggs have a special kind of iron that is easy to absorb for both mom and baby.

• Choline, choline, choline. This little-known nutrient aids in baby’s brain development and helps lower the risk of birth defects. Two whole eggs contain about 250 milligrams of choline, which is about 50% of the recommended daily amount. The National Academy of Sciences encourages pregnant women to consume about 450 milligrams and breastfeeding moms to consume about 550 milligrams daily.

Maybe we’re slightly biased, but at Chino Valley Ranchers we think that the benefits of organic eggs are substantial. Why organic? Well, our organic eggs are rich in vitamins and minerals, plus our hens are allowed the space they need to do all the things chickens like to do such as dust baths, pecking, and flapping their wings. We believe that happy hens lay healthy, nutrient-dense eggs. And for the record, we think that there’s never such a thing as too much cake.