Eggs For The Brain

 Tucking into an egg just twice a week can reduce the risk of Alzheimers disease by at least 20 per cent.

 New research shows that the benefits are even greater for those enjoying eggs five times a week or more, with the risks lowered by more than a quarter.

Scientists think that nutrients in them may help to protect the brain against the ravages of the disease. Now they are recommending regular egg intake as part of a balanced diet to keep Alzheimer's and other types of dementia at bay.

For the new study, researchers at Loma Linda University in California tracked nearly 40,000 men and women over a 15-year period. They found those enjoying eggs once or twice a month were 17 per cent less likely to develop incurable dementia than those who never ate them.

Among volunteers indulging in eggs two to four times a week the reduction in risk was 20 per cent.

And five times a week or more pushed the figure up to 27 per cent, according to results in the Journal of Nutrition.

Eggs are packed with nutrients such as choline, a nutrient that produces the chemical acetylcholine - vital for healthy brain cells and good memory function.

There are an estimated one million people in the UK living with dementia - and by 2040 that figure is expected to climb to 1.4 million.

 But while the search for a cure continues, there is mounting evidence that prevention may be the best form of defence for now.

A major report in 2024 by The Lancet Commission on Dementia concluded that almost half of all cases globally could be prevented, or at least delayed for several years, if action was taken to address 14 risk factors - ranging from smoking and excess alcohol consumption, to loneliness and a sedentary lifestyle - that are driving up rates of illness.

Trading Standard Inspection

 We had a spot inspection from Norfolk Trading Standards team this week.

They came to inspect all aspect of how we keep our hens.
Very please to say that we passed with flying colours. All relevant records were available and the inspection of the hens proved that the way we manage our hens is A1.
Thank you to the Trading Standard Team.

The Avian Flu Effect

 Avian Influenza is having a serious impact on the supply of English eggs. Apart from many smaller outbreaks the loss of 1.4 million birds, on one site in Shropshire, is affecting supplies to all major supermarkets.

It will take many months to restock this site and there has also been an outbreak on a rearing site holding 209,000 11 week old pullets which will also affect supplies long into the future.

The wholesale trade is making up this shortage by importing eggs from The Ukraine and Poland as well as other European countries.

The USA is also looking worldwide for eggs as a result of over 20 million egg layers being lost in the last quarter.

CARD PAYMENTS

 We are happy to announce that we can now accept card payments for eggs collected from our farm,

FREE RANGE EGGS

We now have Free Range eggs available as our supplier has now let all his hens out. This does mean that we will no longer supply Barn Eggs.

Prices for Free Range eggs are the same as those previously charged for Barn Eggs.

 

FREE RANGE/BARN EGGS

Despite DEFRA lifting the mandatory housing order our Free Range/ Barn Egg supplier has decided that the risk of letting hens outside is too great and will continue to keep them housed.

This means that together with our Colony eggs we will be able to supply a limited number of Barn Eggs whilst Free Range are unobtainable.

 

  IMPORTANT CUSTOMER INFORMATION REGARDING FREE RANGE EGGS

From February 6th 2023 our free-range eggs will no longer be classed as ‘Free Range’ but as ‘Barn’ eggs. This is due to the Bird Flu housing order issued by DEFRA last November having exceeded 16 weeks.
The derogation, which covers the whole of England, has now expired so we must comply with marketing rules and regulations and market our eggs as ‘Barn’.
This means that we will continue to sell the eggs from our supplier in our existing pre-packs, but the number on the eggs will change from 1UK to 2UK, this indicates they are ‘barn’ and not ‘free-range’. A temporary label will be placed on the outside of each box.
Caterers will need to amend any reference to Free Range Eggs on their menus.
Our suppliers hens will not be allowed to range freely in the fields until DEFRA are satisfied that the disease is no longer a threat in the UK.
We fully support the efforts to keep the hens safe and free from Bird Flu and assure you that all free range producers must follow these new guidelines.
Because of the Avian Flu outbreak "Free Range" or "Barn Eggs" are in extremely short supply but our own Colony eggs are available. These bird are housed in ideal conditions to avoid Avian Flu.