
Are brown eggs, organic eggs, or eggs with deep yellow yolks more nutritious than white, conventional, or pale yolked eggs?
brown and white eggs
No. Shell colour, size, or how hens are raised does not change the eggs’ nutrient content. So a brown egg is no more nutritious than a white egg.
What hens eat, however, does impact the nutrient content of eggs. For example, Omega 3 eggs are from hens fed a diet high in flaxseed. Vitamin Enhanced eggs are from hens fed specific foods rich in particular vitamins.
Eggs from hens who spend most of their time grazing outdoors and eating whatever is available in their pasture (grass, weeds, flowers, worms, grubs or insects) will have different nutrient content that changes with the seasons. However, very few hens are raised like this. Did you know Free-run means the hens are just kept loose in a barn without access to outdoors? Did you know? Free-Range means they are kept loose in a barn with access to outdoors. Although how much access and what the conditions of the outdoor space are not necessarily the green pastures you would hope? Read more about Free-Range and Free Run Chickens.
The colour of the yolk is also impacted by a hen’s diet. A diet high in corn, alfalfa, or other greens high in carotenoids will produce more golden yolks. To control the yolk colour, commercial producers may add supplemental carotenoids such as canthaxanthin or marigold. There are no labeling requirements regarding these practices, and darker yolks do not automatically mean more nutritious eggs.