Eggs are a nutritious food. They are inexpensive, readily available and can be prepared in a variety of ways. Athough an egg is nutritious in and of itself, recently growers have discovered that feeding chickens a diet that includes sources of omega 3 fatty acids such as flax seed can result in those chickens producing eggs that have increased amounts of omega 3 fatty acids. Omega 3 fatty acids are essential for good health, but sadly lacking in the typical American diet. Omega 3 eggs, sometimes called specialty or designer eggs, will contain different amounts of omega 3 fatty acids based on the type of feed used by each different brand.
Alpha-Linolenic Acid (ALA)
Omega 3 eggs tested by Purdue University's Omega 3 Learning and Education Consortium contained 48mg of ALA per egg. ALA content varies based on brand of egg purchased.
In a 2005 study published in the journal "Circulation," researchers found that men who increased the amount of ALA in their diets reduced their risk of developing coronary heart disease. Increasing your ALA intake by as little at 1g daily may decrease your risk of developing coronary heart disease by 16 percent.
Eicosapentaenoic Acid (EPA)
Omega 3 eggs tested by Purdue University's Omega 3 Learning and Education Consortium contained 2mg of EPA per egg. Again, EPA will varies based on brand of egg purchased.
Researchers at the Cardiovascular Health Research Center, Sanford School of Medicine at University of South Dakota, recommend between 250 and 500g of EPA daily for adults for maximum benefit. A 2005 article published in the "Journal of Clinical Psychiatry" showed promising results in treating bipolar depression with EPA.
Docosahexaenoic Acid (DHA)
Omega 3 eggs tested by Purdue University's Omega 3 Learning and Education Consortium contained between 50mg and 150mg of DHA per egg. DHA content will vary based on brand of egg purchased.
Researchers at the Cardiovascular Health Research Center, Sanford School of Medicine at University of South Dakota, recommend between 250 and 500g of DHA daily for adults for maximum benefit. According to the Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State University, DHA may help protect against Alzheimer's disease.
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