Organic Egg Consumption: A Systematic Review of Aspects Related to Human Health.

Frontiers in nutrition. 2022;9:937959
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Recently, there has been an increase in organic food consumption. Among the specific foods included in worldwide dietary patterns that are organically produced is the chicken egg. The aim of this study was to synthesize the available evidence on the association between organic egg consumption and human health. This study is systematic review of three studies. This study shows that: - two of the studies reported favourable results in terms of higher serum carotenoid levels and lower levels of specific inflammatory markers associated with the consumption of organic eggs. - scientific evidence has thus far not focused on whether organic eggs are directly associated with health benefits but on the nutritional value of organic foods compared to conventional foods which in turn could lead to advantages for human health. Authors conclude organic eggs may have nutritional advantages over conventional or non-organic eggs, possibly related to the higher levels of carotenoids and the reduction in the inflammatory potential of the diet. However, their findings are limited thus no firm conclusions can be drawn about the benefits of organic eggs on human health.

Abstract

Consumption of organic foods has increased recently, but evidence about their potential health benefits is still limited. This systematic review aims to synthesize the available scientific evidence on the association between organic egg consumption and human health. We searched for peer-reviewed articles on this subject indexed in the MEDLINE, EMBASE, Web of Science and Cochrane Library databases from the inception date to April 13, 2022. This review was based on PRISMA guideline recommendations. Three studies on organic egg consumption in humans were included. After 8 weeks of consuming organic eggs, one randomized crossover trial found that participants had higher serum concentrations of the beta-carotene lutein compared to the period without consuming organic eggs. Moreover, in a cross-sectional study with nationally representative data from Americans over the age of 50, it was found that consumption of organic eggs was associated with lower levels of the inflammatory markers C-reactive protein and cystine C compared with conventional eggs. Finally, in a cohort of children aged 0 to 2 years, no significant association was observed between consuming organic eggs and the risk of eczema. In conclusion, the evidence about the potential benefits of organic egg consumption and human health is promising but still requires further research. A human research agenda is proposed based on laboratory studies pointing out that organic eggs have a more desirable nutritional profile than conventional eggs.

Lifestyle medicine

Fundamental Clinical Imbalances : Immune and inflammation
Patient Centred Factors : Triggers/Egg consumption
Environmental Inputs : Diet
Personal Lifestyle Factors : Nutrition
Functional Laboratory Testing : Not applicable

Methodological quality

Jadad score : Not applicable
Allocation concealment : Not applicable
Publication Type : Journal Article ; Review

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