Photo by Marissa Angell

The world of grocery store lingo is a dark and scary place. With all the claims of “antibiotic-free,” “natural,” hormone-free,” and more, it’s hard to know which catchphrases actually matter when it comes to health (many do also impact the environment and animal welfare). But lets take a look at one food in particular — here’s the 411 on eggs:

One study found that chickens given access to a grazing pasture (aka “pasture-raised” chickens) produced eggs with more omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin A, and vitamin E. But “free-range” simply means the chickens had some access to the outdoors. But choose organic for more stringent requirements. As with other dairy and meat items, antibiotics fed to chickens could crop up in the end product (under USDA-established tolerable levels, of course), so skip conventional eggs if this is a personal concern.

The Takeaway: Antibiotic-free eggs could be healthier than conventional eggs — and the same goes for eggs from chickens that graze on pasture. Read on for all the details on the rest of the food groups.

Organic Cocktails?

Some evidence suggests organic alcohol could cut back on the next day’s hangover.

Fun Quote:

Adapt or perish, now as ever, is nature’s inexorable imperative.” — H. G. Wells