Brown Eggs or White Eggs?

Is there a difference between brown eggs and white eggs?  Are brown eggs healthier?  Many people think so.  Why do brown eggs often cost more than white eggs?  Recently we enjoyed a breakfast buffet at a Bed and Breakfast in Connecticut.  The buffet included a bowl of brown hard-boiled eggs.  Hotels often serve hard boiled eggs as part of their free breakfast buffet.  But usually white hard-boiled eggs.  This led to a discussion as to whether or not brown eggs are healthier and/or have a different taste. 

What is the difference between brown eggs and white eggs?

Answer:  COLOR

Yes, the only difference is the color of the eggs.  Eat This, Not That has a recent article, discussing the difference between brown eggs and white eggs.  Why are brown eggs brown?  Because of the type of chicken the eggs come from.  Brown eggs are from red-feathered chickens with red ear lobes.  White eggs come from white-feathered chickens with white ear lobes.  Mystery solved.

Why do brown eggs usually cost more?

Answer:  SIZE

Brown eggs are usually larger than white eggs. Why?  Red-feathered chickens that lay brown eggs weigh more than white feathered chickens.  A bigger chicken, a bigger egg.   And because they weigh more, the red-feathered chickens eat more and thus cost more to feed and more land to raise.

Why do some people serve brown eggs?

According to the American Egg Board, New England states prefer brown eggs.  Thus, it shouldn’t have surprised us to see brown eggs being served at a Bed & Breakfast in Connecticut. 

Why does the color of a yolk differ?

Yolk color depends on what the hen is fed.  Yolk color can vary from medium yellow when hens are fed yellow corn and alfalfa to lighter yellow from eggs fed barley. 

Does the nutritional value of eggs vary depending on what the hens are fed? 

All eggs pack a pretty powerful nutrition punch.  The protein in eggs is not only high quality, it is often cited as the “gold standard” for protein.   Eggs provide  about 6-7 grams of protein per egg, 13 vitamins and minerals (including iron) and packed in a low-calorie food, only about 60-70 calories per egg.  But don’t skip the yolk, as the yolk provides most of the vitamins and minerals. We like to use Egg Land’s Best eggs.  Why?  These eggs have more vitamin E, less saturated fat in the yolk, more than double the Omega-3’s, more vitamin D, and more lutein (good for eyes).   They feed the chickens a diet of grains, canola oil, rice bran, alfalfa, sea kelp and vitamin E. 

What about eggs and cholesterol?

WebMD notes that the American Heart Association revised its dietary guidelines for cholesterol back in 2000 to allow healthy adults to enjoy an egg a day.  But to still keep daily cholesterol to a limit of 300 mg.  A large Egg Land’s Best egg provides about 170 mg cholesterol.  But WebMD also recommends knowing your blood cholesterol and talking to your physician about your diet.  Those with high cholesterol should also talk to their doctor about eggs in their diet.

I enjoy eating eggs.  Summer is a time for egg salad sandwiches and deviled eggs.  And now you know that brown eggs and white eggs provide the same nutritional value.

Sources:  article, American Egg Board, Yolk color, Eggs provide , WebMD  Image source:  eggs