All About Eggs

All eggs sold in stores are grade A, so the “choice” of grade is a no-brainer. But these days, you’ll find plenty of other labels on eggs, intended to make you buy one particular product or another. Because the choices can be dizzying and unclear, it can be difficult to know what is best for your family. To help you sort things out, here are some terms and a little information about what each means—or doesn’t mean.

• Organic. If an egg is US Department of Agriculture–certified organic, the hens have not been given antibiotics and their feed is free of pesticides, fertilizers, and other chemicals. But if the organic label carries a state agency’s name, the standards may be different.
• No Antibiotics. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not allow routine use of antibiotics, but they can be used if the chicken is ill. No antibiotics have been used if the eggs are part of the National Organic Program.
• No Hormones. This terminology is meaningless because the FDA does not allow any hormone products in egg production. Every egg should already be hormone-free.
• Natural or Naturally Raised. This label has no meaning other than what egg producers want it to mean.
• Cage-free. Hens that provide these eggs are kept out of cages. They have access to food and water but are not necessarily allowed outdoors.
• Free Range. These birds have access to the outdoors but still may be allowed only on concrete areas.
• Pasture-raised. Hens in this category get part of their food from outdoor sources (eg, bugs, greens), which may increase some vitamins and omega-3 fatty acids and reduce saturated fats. There is no regulation on the use of this term.
• Vegetarian-fed. The hens are fed only vegetarian foods. Chickens are not naturally vegetarian; they enjoy the occasional grub or caterpillar.
• Pasteurized Eggs. These eggs are heated just enough to destroy bacteria but not hot enough to cook them. They are increasingly found in supermarkets and are a good choice for people who are susceptible to infection (such as those undergoing chemotherapy or who have AIDS) or who like their eggs undercooked. Remember that the risk of infection from eggs these days is quite small and is almost completely eliminated if they are cooked adequately before eating.
• Omega-3 Eggs. Producers of eggs carrying this label claim that their product has higher levels of omega-3 fatty acids, which may be beneficial for heart health and brain development. However, they are not inspected by the FDA for their omega-3 content unless there is a complaint.
• Animal Welfare Approved. This term is given to independent farmers whose hens are in small flocks of fewer than 500, spend all of their time outside in pesticide-free pastures, and are not fed animal by-products.
• American Humane Certified. This category is similar to the previous one, but these hens also are not subjected to forced molting, which increases egg production.
• United Egg Producers Certified. This term is applied to a coalition of egg producers with lower standards, such as each hen being provided space only equivalent to a letter-sized piece of paper.

Bioengineered Foods

Bioengineering has pushed farmers beyond the age-old practice of selective breeding, whereby one animal or plant strain was crossed with a related one to bring out desirable characteristics and suppress less useful ones. Now, scientists can manipulate genes and create new strains out of unrelated species. Foods, ingredients, and additives produced by bioengineering must meet the same FDA safety standards as traditional products. The total acreage of bioengineered crops is still small, but it represents a growing practice.

Safety 

Food producers are responsible for ensuring that the foods they sell are safe. The US Department of Agriculture has the authority to remove meat, poultry, and egg products produced in federally inspected plants, and the FDA has the authority to remove all other foods from the market if they pose a risk to public health.

Risk of Allergic Reactions

One area of concern related to the transfer of genetic material is the possibility that proteins introduced from one food into another could cause allergic reactions in people sensitive to the first food. For example, a tomato bred to produce a protein normally found in peanuts could cause potentially life-threatening symptoms when eaten by someone allergic to peanuts. For this reason, the FDA requires clear scientific proof of safety from developers working with foods to which people are commonly allergic, such as milk, eggs, wheat, fish, tree nuts (eg, walnuts, pecans), and legumes (eg, beans, peanuts). It’s impossible to predict allergic reactions to proteins derived from plants or other sources if they are not recognized causes of allergy. Nevertheless, scientists can test a bioengineered protein to see whether its structure resembles that of a known allergen. If it does, further tests show whether an allergic cross-reaction is likely.

Fat, Salt and Sugar: Not All Bad

Forcing children to eat food doesn’t work. Neither does forbidding foods. When children think that a food is forbidden by their parents, the food often becomes more desirable.
It’s important for both children and adults to be sensible and enjoy all foods and beverages, but not to overdo it on any one type of food. Sweets and higher-fat snack foods in appropriate portions are OK in moderation.
The following is information about fat, sugar, and salt and dietary recommendations based on recommendations from the US Department of Agriculture and the US Department of Health and Human Services.

Encouraging Healthy Eating for a Healthy Heart

Childhood is the best time to start heart healthy eating habits, but adult goals for cutting back on total fat, saturated fat, trans fat, and cholesterol are not meant generally for children younger than 2 years.

Fat is an Essential Nutritent for Children

Fat supplies the energy, or calories, children need for growth and active play and should not be severely restricted.

Dangers of High Fat Intake

However, high fat intake—particularly a diet high in saturated fats—can cause health problems, including heart disease later in life. Saturated fats are usually solid at room temperatures and are found in fatty meats (such as beef, pork, ham, veal, and lamb) and many dairy products (whole milk, cheese, and ice cream).
For that reason, after age 2 children should be served foods that are lower in fat and saturated fats.

Healthier, More Low-Fat, Low-Cholesterol Foods for Children Over Age 2:

• Poultry
• Fish
• Lean meat (broiled, baked, or roasted; not fried)
• Soft margarine (instead of butter)
• Low-fat dairy products
• Low-saturated fat oils from vegetables
• Limiting egg consumption

The General Rule on Fats

As a general guideline, fats should make up less than 30% of the calories in your child’s diet, with no more than about one-third or fewer of those fat calories coming from saturated fat and the remainder from unsaturated (polyunsaturated or monounsaturated) fats, which are liquid at room temperature and include vegetable oils like corn, safflower, sunflower, soybean, and olive.
Some parents find the information about various types of fat confusing. In general, oils and fats derived from animal origin are saturated. The simplest place to start is merely to reduce the amount of fatty foods of all types in your family’s diet.
_{Note: Whole milk is recommended for children 12 to 24 months of age. However, you child's doctor may recommend reduced-fat (2%) milk if your child is obese or overweight or if there is a family history of high cholesterol or heart disease. Check with your child's doctor or dietition before switching from whole to reduced-fat milk.}

Serve Children Foods Low in Salt

Table salt, or sodium chloride, may improve the taste of certain foods. However, researchers have found a relationship between dietary salt and high blood pressure in some individuals and population groups. High blood pressure afflicts about 25% of adult Americans and contributes to heart attacks and strokes.

Take the Salt Shaker Off the Table

The habit of using extra salt is an acquired one. Thus, as much as possible, serve your child foods low in salt. In the kitchen, minimize the amount of salt you add to food during its preparation, using herbs, spices, or lemon juice instead. Also, take the salt shaker off the dinner table, or at least limit its use by your family.

Check Sodium Levels in Processed Foods

Processed foods often contain higher amounts of sodium. Check food labels for levels of sodium in:

• Processed cheese
• Instant puddings
• Canned vegetables
• Canned soups
• Hot dogs
• Cottage cheese
• Salad dressings
• Pickles
• Certain breakfast cereals
• Potato chips and other snacks

Sugar in Your Child's Diet: More Than Just a Sweetener

Caloric sweeteners range from simple sugars, like fructose and glucose, to common table sugar, molasses, honey, and high fructose corn syrup. Although the main use of sugar is as a sweetener, sugar has other uses. For example, sugar can be used as a preservative, can change the texture of foods, and can enhance flavors and add color.

Sugar Supplies Energy

Sugars in foods, whether natural or added, provide calories—the fuel that supplies energy necessary for daily activities. And if given the choice, many children would probably request sugary foods and beverages for breakfast, lunch, and dinner—research shows that humans are naturally drawn to sweet tastes.

Too Much Sugar Means Too Many Calories

Parents should keep in mind that calories from sugar can quickly add up and over time can lead to weight gain, and sugar also can play a role in the development of tooth decay.

Cholesterol Levels in Children and Adolescents

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends cholesterol testing for the following groups of children:

• Those whose parents or grandparents have had heart attacks or have been diagnosed with blocked arteries or disease affecting the blood vessels, such as stroke, at age 55 or earlier in men, or 65 or earlier in women
• Those whose parents or grandparents have total blood cholesterol levels of 240 mg/dL or higher
• Those whose family health background is not known (eg, many adopted children), or those who have characteristics associated with heart disease, such as high blood pressure, diabetes, smoking, or obesity

For children in these categories, their first cholesterol test should be after 2 years but no later than 10 years of age.
A child may have high cholesterol for a variety of reasons such as obesity, diabetes, liver disease, kidney disease, or an underactive thyroid. If an initial test shows high cholesterol, your pediatrician will check your child’s blood again at least 2 weeks later to confirm the results. If it is still high, the doctor will also determine if your child has an underlying condition.
A recent government report indicated that there is good evidence that children with cholesterol problems become adults with high cholesterol. So it is important to monitor the cholesterol of children who may have an increased risk of elevated cholesterol.

Cholesterol Levels in Children and Adolescents

Classification	Total Cholesterol*	Low-Density Lipoprotein (LDL)*
Acceptable	<170	<110
Borderline	170-199	110-129
High	>200	>130

*Milligrams per 100 mL of blood