The Egg Label Trap: What “Cage-Free” and “Pasture-Raised” Really Mean

Not all egg labels are what they seem. Some carry an entirely different meaning than what you would expect.

When I wake up in the morning, I always enjoy a simple meal of scrambled eggs with salt and pepper. It’s nutritious, takes 10 minutes to make (including cleanup), and best of all, it’s delicious.

However, there is a lot of conflicting information when it comes to eggs. For decades, eggs were considered dangerous because they are high in cholesterol. But around the 2010s, large studies showed that dietary cholesterol has little effect on blood cholesterol for most people.

And if you’ve followed this Substack and the summaries based on the work of A Midwestern Doctor, you’ll know full well that lowering cholesterol to reduce heart disease risk isn’t actually such a great strategy.

Back to eggs. They’re literally a superfood. Eggs are:

• A high-quality protein source without a lot of calories

• An excellent source of selenium - an antioxidant mineral that supports thyroid function and immunity.

• Packed with healthy fats

• One of the few natural foods that contains vitamin D

• Full of B-vitamins needed for energy and cellular repair

• And more

But once you get past “Are eggs healthy?” another question hits: “What eggs should I buy?” Conventional eggs, cage-free eggs, free-range eggs, pasteur-raised eggs, organic, not organic — what’s the real difference?

I didn’t fully know the answer to that question before I read the following article from The Epoch Times. If you love eggs like me, you’ll appreciate the insights here and will walk away knowing which egg choice is right for you.

Enjoy this free article and explore The Epoch Times’ full catalogue for more daily health insights.

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This article originally appeared at The Epoch Times and was republished with permission. Pictures added. Emphasis mine.

By Emma Suttie D.Ac, AP

Michael Jimenez is the founder and CEO of JMZ Farms in Texas, where he raises approximately 500 chickens and produces organic, pasture-raised eggs.

“I feed my hens a certified organic feed, and they are pasture raised—meaning that I have them on pasture 24/7,” he told The Epoch Times.

Jimenez says he chose organic, pasture-raised methods to provide customers with the highest quality eggs—completely natural and free of chemicals. His approach was inspired by regenerative farming advocate Joel Salatin, whom Jimenez discovered through videos at age 12.

“Starting with that one chicken I had—it really inspired me to want to build my home farm,” said Jimenez.

With egg prices soaring and avian flu concerns on the rise, consumers are paying closer attention to what egg labels actually mean.

Marc Dresner of The American Egg Board noted that eggs remain safe to eat.

“The USDA and FDA say consumers can be confident in the safety of eggs. There is no evidence that bird flu can be transmitted to humans through properly handled and cooked food, including eggs,” he told The Epoch Times via email.

He added that farmers and their families eat the same eggs they sell and work daily to ensure quality and safety.

What Egg Carton Labels Mean

Egg labels provide key details about:

• How hens were raised: Cage systems, cage-free, free-range, or pasture-raised

• What hens ate: Organic feed, grains, or forage like bugs

• Egg quality and size: Based on USDA grading (AA, A, B)

• Safety: Storage and transport standards to prevent foodborne illness

Some labels are regulated by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA); others come from third-party certifiers with their own criteria. Some claims are unregulated and used primarily as marketing terms.

Federal egg regulators/The Epoch Times

USDA Oversight and Grading

The USDA offers a voluntary grading system:

• Grade AA: Firm whites, centered yolks, clean, unbroken shells

• Grade A: Slightly less firm whites

• Grade B: Often used for processed eggs; may have stained but intact shells

The USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service inspects facilities and hatcheries multiple times a year. The Food Safety and Inspection Service and the FDA oversee production, storage, and transportation.

Illustration by The Epoch Times, Shutterstock

Types of Labels: What They Mean

Here’s what the most common egg labels actually mean, and how they compare in terms of farming practices, welfare standards, and oversight.

Conventional Eggs

Although practices vary, most conventional eggs come from hens raised in battery cages—small enclosures that typically hold five to 10 hens. These systems are designed to maximize production and reduce costs, but raise concerns about animal welfare.

Key characteristics of conventional egg production include:

• Restricted movement: Hens often cannot spread their wings, perch, or engage in natural behaviors

• Beak trimming: Common to prevent injuries from overcrowding

• Grain-based diets: Often include genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and synthetic additives

• Antibiotic use: May be administered preventively, though usage is regulated

• Lack of outdoor access: Hens remain indoors unless otherwise labeled

Conventional eggs are the most widely available and affordable option, but their production typically involves less stringent animal welfare and environmental standards.

Cage-Free

The USDA grants the cage-free label only to eggs that have been graded (AA, A, or B). All other cage-free claims come from third-party certifiers, which set their own criteria.

Eggs may be labeled:

• Grade AA cage-free

• Grade A cage-free

• Grade B cage-free

USDA cage-free standards require:

• Hens are not in cages but live indoors in large barns

• They have space to roam, access to food and water, and can exhibit limited natural behaviors

• Typically no outdoor access unless specified

• USDA certification applies only if the eggs are graded; otherwise, third-party verification is required

Jimenez says that commercial farms have altered the definition of egg labels through government regulation. For example, cage-free eggs come from hens that aren’t confined to individual cages but are still housed inside large metal barns—typically around 30 feet by 400 feet—with no windows. While hens can move freely within the barn, the environment often becomes dusty, dirty, and stressful due to poor ventilation and overcrowding.

Free-Range

Like cage-free eggs, the USDA grants the free-range label only to eggs that have been USDA-graded and display the official shield logo. USDA-certified free-range eggs must meet the following requirements:

• Similar to cage-free, with added access to an outdoor area

• Outdoor space may be fenced or netted; not all areas have grass or vegetation

• Hens must be able to perform natural behaviors, such as foraging

Considerations:

The USDA does not specify how much space hens must have, how often they must go outside or for how long, or what type of outdoor space hens have access to—whether grass, dirt, gravel, or concrete.

Jimenez says that with free-range eggs, hens are housed in the same large metal barn as cage-free hens but have access to a door that leads to an outdoor area. However, the yard doesn’t necessarily have grass.

“What tends to happen with hens is that because they go on that same grass over and over again, it turns to dirt, and no grass can grow in that area. And so that’s why I have to periodically move my hens, because if I don’t move them, the area they’re in will become dirty and nasty, and then I end up getting infected birds, or even sick birds,” he said.

A 2021 Canadian study found that free-range eggs had similar protein but more linoleic acid (a healthy fat) and less cholesterol than conventional eggs.

Another study fed hens varying levels of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) and found that one breed—Brown Dwarf layers—produced lower-cholesterol yolks when fed 2.5 percent CLA. However, no direct link was found between blood cholesterol and yolk cholesterol in hens.

Pasture-Raised

The term “pasture-raised” is not regulated by the USDA, so its meaning depends on third-party certifications or individual farm practices.

• Not regulated by the USDA

• Third-party certifiers typically require 108 square feet of pasture per hen and rotational grazing

• Some farms may use this label without certification—consumers can contact farms for clarity

Certified Organic

All eggs labeled “organic” must be certified under the USDA’s National Organic Program. These standards cover feed, housing, and animal welfare and are among the most stringent for commercial egg production.

• Hens must eat 100 percent organic feed free of GMOs, synthetic pesticides, and fertilizers

• No antibiotics or hormones (note: hormones are banned in all U.S. poultry)

• Must have year-round outdoor access and room to engage in natural behaviors

• Indoor spaces must include natural light, nesting boxes, and perches

Considerations:

While the USDA requires that organic hens have continuous, year-round outdoor access, it does not regulate how often they go outside, how much time they spend outdoors, or the exact size and quality of the outdoor area. However, producers must offer a defined amount of outdoor space and are encouraged to promote outdoor activity.

Labels Versus Nutrition

In addition to animal welfare concerns, many people wonder about the health benefits of the eggs they buy—and whether nutrition varies based on the label.

Emily Arkin, a registered dietitian nutritionist based in Washington, D.C., said the variety of labels can be confusing, especially for those looking to make healthy choices.

“Anytime there’s a food that has a lot of choices built into shopping for it, people are going to have questions, and often it’s juggling a few considerations. They’re considering price, but you also want it to be a nutritionally sound choice,” she told The Epoch Times.

Arkin noted that eggs are excellent sources of both protein and fat, and while micronutrient levels may vary slightly depending on the hens’ diets, those differences tend to be minimal.

“Generally, this is not going to wildly shift the nutrient content of the eggs,” she added.

Rachel Gargano, chief registered dietitian at Live it Up, emphasized that eggs provide an excellent source of protein that the body can absorb and use efficiently. While both the egg whites and yolk contain protein, the yolk holds most of the egg’s essential micronutrients—including choline, selenium, and vitamin A—as well as the antioxidants lutein and zeaxanthin.

When asked how nutrition varies between egg types, Gargano said labels can be misleading and may give the impression that hens are given more space to roam and roost than they actually do, adding, “Sadly, this isn’t always the case.”

Gargano said that while pasture-raised hens generally spend more time outdoors with access to natural forage, the biggest nutritional difference may come from their varied diet and increased sun exposure.

“Having part of their feed come from grass and other plants, as well as spending more time in the sun, may enhance the nutritional quality of their eggs, potentially allowing for more vitamin E, vitamin D, and omega-3 fatty acids,” she added.

Arkin said one of the biggest misconceptions is that there are major nutritional differences between different types of egg labels, when in reality, most are quite similar.

She also noted that people often believe they should avoid eggs if they have high cholesterol.

“We’ve found—maybe 10 years ago—that dietary cholesterol doesn’t make up a huge portion of blood cholesterol, which is what’s being measured. So, there is room for egg consumption, even for folks that have some of those cardiovascular risk factors,” she added.

Gargano agreed, noting that while hens that forage may lay eggs with more nutrients, the overall impact on someone’s diet is likely small.

“If you’re eating several eggs per day, then it may make a bigger impact, but if only a few eggs per week, then the nutritional benefits may be negligible.”

Ultimately, Gargano said that for many consumers, the decision about which eggs to buy often comes down to personal values.

“Do we care about the welfare of the animals? Is organic important to us? And does the current cost negate either of these? These are the bigger drivers of our consumer habits,” she said.

Egg Certification Labels Explained

Although third-party certification has specifics for each label, a chart of the key components is below.

Illustration by The Epoch Times, Shutterstock

Other Labels

Hormone Free

The FDA does not permit the use of hormones—including artificial, added, or steroid hormones—in the production of chickens (or pork) in the United States.

If you see a label on eggs that says “raised without hormones,” it must, by law, be followed by the statement: “Federal regulations prohibit the use of hormones.”

The USDA has banned the use of all hormones in poultry since the 1950s.

All Natural/Natural

Neither the USDA nor the FDA regulates this term. However, according to the USDA website, “natural” means nothing was added to the eggs.

Omega-3 Enriched

Omega-3 enriched eggs mean that hens were supplemented with rich sources of omega-3s—such as algae, flaxseed, or fish oils—to increase the omega-3 content of their eggs.

The USDA and the FDA do not regulate the use of the term “omega-3 enriched.”

However, if a label claims a specific amount of omega-3s, the producer must provide evidence to the FDA, which verifies that label claims are truthful and accurate.

Vegetarian-Fed

Vegetarian-fed means that hens were given a diet of grains and plant-based ingredients with no animal by-products.

However, since chickens are naturally omnivores, bugs and worms are part of their typical diet.

The term is not defined or regulated by either the USDA or the FDA.

Final Thoughts

The growing number of labels on egg cartons allows consumers to make choices based on their values and priorities.

Whether you care about animal welfare, environmental impact, nutritional quality, or farming practices, you can support the kind of egg production that aligns with your preferences by choosing where to spend your money—at the grocery store or a local farm.

According to Jimenez, in recent years—with events like COVID-19 and now avian flu—more people have turned to local farms for their eggs because grocery store shelves were often empty.

Dresner says, “It’s important to know that whichever egg you choose, you’re getting a wholesome, nutritious, high-quality protein, and you can’t make a wrong choice.”

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