Brown egg or white egg: what’s the difference and which one is better?

You probably know that eggs are a good source of protein and that their consumption has benefits for our health.

But we want to know: how do you choose your eggs when you go shopping? Do you have any size preferences? Or is your choice criterion based on color?

When choosing which dozen to take home, many people opt for brown eggs because they believe they are healthier or “natural” than white eggs.

Others, however, prefer white-skinned ones because they feel they are cleaner or tastier.

Would you venture a guess as to who is right in this story? Let’s find out who’s right when it comes to choosing eggs by color.

Why are there different colored eggs?

The answer to this question is simple: there are different colored eggs because the color of the shell depends on the breed of hen.

The Leghorn hen, which has white feathers, a yellow beak and a red crest and face, lays white eggs. The Sex Link hen (yes, that’s the name!), which has brown plumage, also lays brown eggs.

The rule is not 100% exact, but in general, hens with white plumage lay white eggs, while hens with dark plumage lay brown eggs.

One thing you can be sure of is that the only factor influencing the color of the eggshell is the genetics of the hen. Contrary to what many people believe, the bird’s diet does not influence the color of the shell, although it does influence the color of the yolk.

For you to know: free-range chickens, fed with corn, which has more carotenoids, lay eggs with a more intense yellow yolk, turning to red. On the other hand, farm hens lay lighter eggs, as their food contains less nutrients with this pigment.

And what’s the difference between white and brown eggs anyway?

Aside from the coloring itself, the only difference between them is the price. As many people believe that the brown egg is healthier, the price of this type of egg ends up being a little higher.

However, in fact, the eggshell does not indicate any significant difference in the nutritional composition of eggs, as demonstrated by a survey by the US Department of Agricultural Research.

Both brown and white eggs are equally healthy, containing a number of high-quality vitamins, minerals, and proteins—all at around 80 calories per unit.

This, however, does not mean that all eggs taste the same. Since the late 1960s, it has been known that the fresher the egg, the tastier it will be.

Factors that really influence egg quality

Although the color of the shell makes no difference to the nutritional quality of the egg, research indicates that free-range eggs, laid by free-range hens that are free to sunbathe, contain 3 to 4 times more vitamin D than eggs. farm.

And even if the chicken’s diet does not determine whether the shell will be white or brown, it does influence its nutritional content. Chickens that consume a diet rich in omega-3 and vitamin D are able to pass these nutrients to eggs, according to research done in 2013 and 2017.

And then? Now that you know that the nutritional content of white and brown eggs is the same, are you going to be guided by their market price or some other factor?

The information contained on this page is for informational purposes only. They do not replace the advice and follow-up of doctors, nutritionists, psychologists, physical education professionals and other specialists.