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What is Healthier, Brown Eggs or White Eggs?

This article shows the truth about brown eggs and white eggs and tells you which one is healthier.

Shipra Singh
Brown eggs and white eggs in a basket
Brown eggs and white eggs in a basket

You may have observed that, with regard to food, white foods are often labelled as bad for health, for example, white sugar, white flour, white bread, white rice, etc. So, it is not surprising to know that people usually believe that white eggs are bad too. Brown eggs are healthier. Don’t the nutritionists advise to eat brown bread, brown sugar, etc? So, in this context, brown eggs are healthier, aren’t they?

But, is this belief true?

Are brown eggs are nutritionally healthier than white eggs? Are brown eggs organic? There is a lot of confusion regarding brown and white eggs. The only certain thing is that brown eggs are costlier than white eggs. But are they worth the cost?

Let’s find out. Keep reading…

Difference between brown eggs vs. white eggs

V Bui, who is a visiting fellow in Animal Science at the Cornell University in New York, published a research paper recently. In the research, he states, “There is no meaningful difference in nutritional content between brown and white eggs. However, brown eggs have more Omega-3 fatty acids than white eggs, although the difference is very minor.”

Perhaps that’s why weight loss experts advise eating brown eggs because they have more quantity of good fats. However, a renowned dietician in India is of the view that there is no significant difference in the nutritional value of brown eggs and white eggs.

So, white or brown, relish it and reap the amazing health benefits of egg.

The only stark difference is:

  • Brown eggs are laid by hens having brown feathers and red earlobes

  • White eggs are laid by hens having white feathers and light or white earlobes.

Another difference is that the market is flooded more with white eggs than brown eggs. This is because the cost of breeding and raising brown-feathered hens is more than that of white-feathered hens.

Brown eggs
Brown eggs

Are brown eggs organic?

For those who believe that brown eggs are organic, here is an eye opener. It depends on what the hens feed on. If brown-feathered hens are also fed a normal diet similar to that of white-feathered hens, then the brown eggs are not organic.

So, folks, do not go by the color of the eggs. Brown color does not indicate the egg is organic. It depends on the diet of hens.

White eggs
White eggs

Why are brown eggs costlier than white eggs?

Brown eggs are costlier because, as mentioned earlier, the cost of rearing brown-feathered hens is higher than that of white-feathered hens. Also, brown-feathered eggs have a huge appetite and are bigger in size.

Is there a difference in taste?

Not really. However, usually, brown-feathered hens are fed with grains and a bit of a different diet. So, there can be a little difference in the taste. Also, yolk of brown eggs is darker due to the grain-diet of hens.

Again, we would like to mention here that the diet of hens plays an important role in flavour and nutritional value of eggs, irrespective of their color.

Nutritional value of eggs

As per United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), a 100-gram portion of egg gives you 12.56 grams of protein. This is what makes an egg one of the most preferred and low-cost source of protein.

According to USDA, one big egg (50 grams) gives you 4.75 grams of fat and 72 calories, and only 1.5 grams of saturated fat.

So, do not envy people who eat brown eggs. If you eat white eggs, it’s perfectly fine. You can continue eating white eggs. Just make sure to eat avoid eating egg yolk daily in case you are trying to lose weight. However, according to doctors, you can safely have one whole egg daily. 

Can diabetics eat eggs? Find out!

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