Strive for eggs-ellence: Free-range eggs vs broiler anda

Eggs are a staple that so many of us cannot do without Most donrsquot think about the kind of anda they fry but some do So when we learnt that The Good Farmer had launched their freerange eggs we decided to put them to testScrambled eggs made with caged eggs right Scrambled eggs made with freerange eggsAt first glance The Good Farmer eggs were smaller in size as is consistent with freerange eggs When cracked we were pleasantly surprised at the texture and colour The raw egg white was thicker and the yolk was orangish yellow like the sun The yolk was firm and didnrsquot break when we tried to separate it from the white with our hands Raw and cooked the eggs had less of the eggy smell that can be possibly attributed to the chickensrsquo diet The texture of the caged eggs on the other hand was thinner as compared to these freerange ones and the yolk was a paler yellow Tastewise both hit the markA sunny sideup made with a caged egg PicsTanishka DrsquoLyma right A sunny sideup egg made with a freerange eggIt would take sharp assessment and a picky eater to notice the difference In a blind test with someone who grew up eating eggs from their own backyard hens and has eaten both caged and cagefree eggs the difference was noticeable The white caged eggs had a more eggy taste than their freerange counterparts Compared to the usual variety of freerange eggs The Good Farmer eggs Cost less but are priced higher than the white eggs we buy locallyA comparison between left freerange and right caged eggsFounders and agriculture engineers Dhiraj Verma Sandesh Nalawade and Meenakshi Varma confirmed our reasoning about the eggy smell The hens at their Satarabased farm are given a specific formula of raw rice corn and other natural additions for their feed outlined by the Central Poultry Development Organisation at Aarey Colony in Goregaon This would result in the eggs not only having a higher nutrient value but also reduced smell ldquoThe aim was to offer quality eggs at an affordable price as well as to ensure its freshnessrdquo Varma shares Their hens are let out of the shed to roam free and graze on tomato moringa marigold and other flower and vegetable plants on the farmLog on to the3goodfarmerCall 9076000910Cost Rs 144dozen and Rs 36030 eggsNutrition countsThe Good Farmer eggs come in sturdy paper packagingCarlyne Remedios clinical dietitian and founder nutritionallyyoursin explains that the difference between freerange cagefree and caged eggs lies in their production and their feed In case of caged eggs hens are confined to a space without much interaction with nature Cagefree hens are kept in a shed Freerange hens are let out to interact with their environment they may also be given a more natural feed This translates to eggs having a higher count of Vitamin A and E and Omega3 The exposure to sunlight ensures high Vitamin D making them superior to caged eggs Since theyrsquore out fighting environmental elements they also have improved antimicrobial and antibacterial properties Remedios highlights that eggs are an important addition to a balanced diet for kids and adults ldquoItrsquos okay if freerange eggs are out of your budget All eggs are rich in nutrients and proteinrdquoBuy freerangeFarm MadeLog on to bigbasketcomCost Rs 269dozenHappy HensLog on to yodeliinCost Rs 1506 eggsAyur eggsLog on to bigbasketcomCost Rs 956 eggsZama OrganicsLog on to zamaorganicscomCost Rs 1396 eggs