Omega 3 Eggs- Misleading Claims

The Centre for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) has reported that several egg manufacturers are claiming that their omega-3 eggs can reduce cardiovascular disease risk. The FDA does not allow claims such as this to be made on foods that have high levels of cholesterol or saturated fat. The FDA does permit claims to be made for two kinds of omega-3’s-DHA, and EPA, but they do not allow claims for other types of omega-3’s.

In a test of Land O’ Lakes brand eggs, found that less than half of the 350mg of omega-3’s in the eggs were from DHA and EPA. The eggs with the most DHA and EPA still contain no more omega-3’s than 1.5 teaspoons of salmon.

The brands included in the complaint are:

• Land O Lakes claims that “omega-3 All-Natural Eggs” are a “good source of heart-healthy nutrition” even though they contain too much saturated fat to be considered good for the heart.
• Eggland’s Best uses unapproved nutrient content claims for omega-3s
• Safeway Specialty 3 Eggs misleadingly boasts “100 mg of omega-3s”. As well, the source of the omega-3s in the hens’ diets is not likely a source that may be associated with heart benefits.
• Gold Circle Farms claims that its eggs contain “450 mg of omega-3s.” The claims are based on two eggs even though the official FDA serving size is for one egg.
• The Country Hen claims, “the difference is an egg that is simply healthy” even though the product does not meet regulatory requirements for “healthy”.
• Full Spectrum Farms mentions that it’s eggs contain “30 mg” of unspecified omega-3s even though one ordinary egg, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, contains 37 mg of omega-3s, 20 mg of which are DHA and EPA.
• Giving Nature asserts that the company feeds its hens flax seed, which “has been known to hold high levels of DHA omega-3.” But, according to the Flax Council of Canada and others, the omega-3s that FDA considers healthful (DHA and EPA) are not found in plants such as flax seed.

So, if you were purchasing omega-3 eggs specifically for their omega-3 content, you’d be better off saving your money and stocking up on salmon instead.