Brown Vs. White Eggs - What's The Difference?

In nature, a wide variety of creatures lay eggs including birds, reptiles and insects. An interesting aspect is that most eggs vary in terms of size, color, texture and pattern. However, if you visit your local market or supermarket, you will mostly find white and brown eggs. So, which one should you choose? Is there a difference between brown and white eggs? Are brown eggs more nutritious than white eggs? Well, to answer such questions, here's a quick look at some of the key differences between brown and white eggs.

What makes an egg white or brown?

The color of the egg is primarily dependent on the breed of chicken. As an example, we can consider chicken breeds like Rhode Island Reds and Plymouth Rocks that lay brown eggs. In case of White Leghorn chickens, the eggs are of white color. There are also chickens that lay blue or bluish-green eggs. However, it's unlikely you will find these at the supermarket. The color of the egg is determined by the pigment that the hens produce. The shade of egg, i.e., light or dark, can depend on other factors such as the hen's diet, its age, level of stress, etc.

Are brown eggs more nutritious?

Brown eggs certainly appear to be more nutritious. It is due to this perceptional superiority that brown eggs are often priced higher than white eggs. Some brands also claim that their brown eggs are more nutritious. While there could be some difference in nutrition of brown vs. white eggs, it is usually not significant enough to make any real difference to your body. What can make an egg really nutritious is the type of environment the hens are kept in. For example, hens that spend more time in the sun produce eggs with higher Vitamin D. The quality of diet given to hens can also impact overall nutrition of eggs.

Do brown eggs taste better?

Another thing that people say about brown eggs is that they are tastier as compared to white eggs. However, this again may be just a perceptional thing. Eggs can definitely have different taste, smell and aroma, but it is not dependent on the color of the eggs. Various factors can determine the taste of eggs such as type of feed given to hens, freshness of eggs, transportation and storage conditions, cooking method, cooking oil used, etc.

Next time you reach out for those brown eggs, think again if it's really worth it. Instead of focusing on the color of eggs, you need to look into other factors such as organic, non-GMO feed, use of antibiotics and hormones, cage-free, free-range, etc. Such labels are more important than just relying on the color of eggs.