I Only Buy Eggs that say "Regenerative" on the Carton
- 1 hour ago
- 4 min read
Three years ago, I began meditating and exploring spirituality, focusing on near-death experiences, evidential mediumship, and hypnosis. That journey transformed my perspective. I came to realize that there is far more to life than the physical world, and that the choices we make have a profound impact on both our own reality and the world around us.
As my understanding deepened, I also recognized how interconnected we are with our planet. In 2026, I expanded my research by reading books by climate scientists. Through that work, I learned that climate change is real and that decades of burning fossil fuels have significantly contributed to warming our planet. That realization sparked a growing interest in environmental stewardship and how each of us can contribute to a healthier Earth. One of the most meaningful places to begin is with the farms that produce our food.
A crucial solution to global warming is regenerative agriculture, which I explore in my blog post, The Importance of Regenerative Organic Agriculture. Regenerative agriculture focuses on rebuilding healthy soil, reducing or eliminating synthetic chemicals and pesticides, and using livestock grazing to restore ecosystems. These practices not only produce healthier, more nutritious food with fewer chemical inputs, but they also help remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere by storing it in the soil—a powerful tool in addressing climate change.
As I shared in that blog post, I watched the documentaries Kiss the Ground, it's sequel Common Ground, and the third film Groundswell on Amazon Prime and I became even more fascinated by regenerative agriculture. An interesting point discussed in the documentary is that there is a difference in eggs produced by regenerative farms versus non-regenerative farms. I decided to see this for myself. I bought the generic Whole Foods brand eggs and then a regenerative brand. You can see below the difference:
The egg from the generic whole foods brand is the lighter yolk while the regenerative farm's egg is the darker orange colored yolk. Regenerative eggs have darker, deep orange egg yolks because the hens eat a diverse, natural diet rich in carotenoids while foraging on open pastures. These plant pigments are naturally absorbed by the chicken and transferred directly into the egg yolk. Carotenoids are natural red, orange, and yellow pigments made by plants, algae, and bacteria that act as important antioxidants and vitamin sources in our diets.
"True free-range birds eat a chicken’s natural diet — all kinds of seeds, green plants, insects and worms, usually along with grain or laying mash. Factory farm birds never even see the outdoors, let alone get to forage for their natural diet. Instead they are fed the cheapest possible mixture of corn, soy and/or cottonseed meals, with all kinds of additives." (reference here)
I was researching online and found an article by a woman that raises chickens. She wrote the following in her article, "In an unscientific home experiment, I compared my pasture-foraging, insect-pecking, soil-scratching, whole grain-feeding chickens’ yolks to the yolks of both their 'free-ranging' and factory-farmed counterparts. The results were clearly visible: Yolks from my homegrown eggs were not only darker, but also fuller and thicker. Even the eggshells were denser and harder to crack." (reference here)
She's using quotation marks around "free-ranging" because the term can be misleading. Many large-scale egg producers label their eggs as "free-range" simply because the hens have access to a small outdoor door. In reality, many of those chickens never go outside because they don't know the outdoor area is available, and even if they do, it may consist of little more than dirt or concrete. True free-ranging hens spend their time doing what comes naturally—roaming outdoors, foraging for grasses and other plants, and searching for insects.
Essentially, the darker egg yolk is better for us. When I looked online, this information wasn't totally black and white because large-scale agricultural farms will actually use artificial colorant chemicals to achieve the dark yellow or orange color. Yikes! Humans don't need more chemicals in our bodies!
"A Mother Earth News study on pastured eggs found that compared to conventional American eggs, real free-range eggs have less cholesterol and saturated fat, plus more vitamins A and E, beta carotene and polyunsaturated omega-3 fatty acids." (reference here)
As a result of my research, I now only buy eggs labeled as regenerative. For example, Vital Farms states on its cartons, "Committed to Regenerative Agriculture," and its website showcases its farms and explains how its farming practices support healthy soil, biodiversity, and the environment.
Seven Sons' carton says "From our regenerative farms" and provides YouTube videos of their farm. They specify that they train and support other farmers on regenerative agriculture. Pretty cool!
I now shop primarily at Whole Foods because it offers a wider selection of organic and regenerative products. I realize that eggs from regenerative farms may be more expensive, and I agree that this is unfortunate that the systems and institutions we live under are setup so that unhealthy food produced using pesticides and chemicals are cheaper and more convenient. It's as if our system is setup so that we continue to eat unhealthy food and then require more pharmaceuticals to support our health. The only institutions that profit from this system are big agriculture, chemical companies, and pharmaceutical companies.
What can we do about this? We can support farms that use regenerative and organic practices, choose food produced with fewer synthetic chemicals, and encourage conversations about improving our food system. We can also make regenerative agriculture a priority when selecting our elected officials.
For me, it's important to buy food from farms that are working to restore soil health and care for the planet. I also love the idea that something as simple as choosing eggs from regenerative farms can contribute to a healthier planet while supporting farmers who are investing in a more sustainable future.