Columbus eggs with extra Omega 3 or organic? Which are better?

[tiddlypom]

Now we know where to buy bananas which are both organic and Fairtrade does anyone know if it's possible to buy eggs which are both Columbus, ie eggs laid by hens fed on Omega 3 rich food, and organic?

I think dd, 7, needs more Omega 3s, but I don't want to give her supplements, I'd rather do it through her food. At the moment she does eat organic eggs now and again. I would buy Columbus eggs if they were organic.

Anyone else having this rather perfectionist dilemma?

This link here is to an article in today's Guardian about Omega 3s, for anyone who's interested.

No, they don't do organic as far as I know.

Depends how you define "supplements". We add this natural product to cooked pasta before serving, and in salad dressings etc. You can buy it from Waitrose (and other stores too I am sure).

Aren't the columbus eggs simply hidden supplements? ie supplement the chicken to add it to the egg to add it to your diet?? I add eyeQ fish oil to DSs breakfast cereal.

I don't know what columbus-egg-hens are fed on, but as I understood it, certain foods are naturally richer in omega3 - e.g grass is much better than grain, so lamb is a modest source. I have been merrily assuming that the free-range columbus eggs we buy are ok - because free-range hens are subject to fewer anti-biotics, etc, and free-range classification ensures certain other standards.

Am I residing in cloud cuckoo land?

Good question, Soupdragon - I don't know what it is they put in the chickenfeed. I suppose whatever it is might exclude the eggs from organic status.

Marina, I do use oils like that for us, but dd doesn't readily accept oil on her pasta. I could do it if I whizzed up my own taramasalata, which she does eat, and I assume that already has some good oils in from the cod roe, although probably not that much.

Well I've emailed Columbus eggs via their website to ask if they're trying to go for organic certification, and if not, in what ways they don't meet the requirements. The website says the hens are fed a wider diet including a range of seeds, that's why they have more Omegas.

I'll report back when I have an answer

Good question, and something I've been wondering too. I've just switched to the Waitrose Intelligent Eggs from the Columbus Blacktail Organic ones, but I'm not sure. Thanks for the sleuthing...

I assume columbus are the best because they are the most expensive

I just opened an unhelpful email from Deansgate Foods who sell Columbus, saying that they also sell an organic range of eggs. No answer to my precise questions about whether they have applied for organic certification of Columbus eggs, and what it is about the Columbus eggs that exclude them from organic status.

Pah!

So I've emailed back a prim reply asking the same questions again. We'll see.

Oh, I think that is a big fat no from them then, Tiddlypom...

Columbus are fed natural grain which has the omega 3s in it, so are naturally fed. Annabel Karmel recommends the Columbus which is why we ended up getting them, plus I imagine our other sources of omega 3s and 6s would be small...

My brain is not working very well today. So what do you get Omega3s in, exactly (sorry, just treat me like someone Very Stupid)?

From the food standards agency (full article here ):

Oily fish is the best source of omega 3 fatty acids. These fatty acids have been shown to help protect against coronary heart disease.

Some omega 3 fatty acids are found in certain vegetable oils, such as linseed, flaxseed, walnut and rapeseed, but these aren't the same type of fatty acids as those found in fish.

Recent evidence suggests that the type of fatty acids found in vegetable sources may not have the same benefits as those in fish.

(we don't eat much fish as neither dh nor I like it - trying to slowly get used to cooking fish occasionally, but in the meantime anything else that's got it in is a bonus)

The problem with oily fish is that they are quite polluted and contain some nasties too.

Depends what you eat and its origins.

go on....

mi - smoked mackerel pate is PACKED with omega 3s, and ds loves it. Also put the liquid in milk or yoghurt.
Why not supplements, tiddlypom?

It's the difference between the 3 and 6 which confuses me, at least when brain not working.

Not partial to supplements myself.

Fish oil supplements are just that though, supplements of pure fish oil, so no different to getting the oils via food. All the studies have been done with supplements, partly because it's near impossible to get enough oily fish down children to make a difference.

VB, sorry, brain not working OK about fish more generally - it usually is, honestly (it's an article I'm panting to write actually) and indeed I obssess about getting fish into the Inferiorettes (will stifle salt worries to try smoked mackerel again, Aloha, thank you for reminding me!)but at the moment I can feel any remaining intelligence leaching out of my ears so must return to work while a fragment remains.

Aren't the supplements made from fish of the sort rapidly dying out, though, inducing guilt?

this'll make your brain hurt motherinferior
I believe there are omega 9's too

We don't need nearly as much omega 6 as we tend to get (via vegetable oils) but we tend to be deficient in omega 3s - flaxseed, walnuts, and most importantly oily fish. Omega 3s contain DHA and EPA both very important forbrain function and development.
Another advantage of supplements is that they are mercury free.

this is more like it, written by my mate trish

No, they aren't in cod! They are in stuff like herring and mackerel and salmon.