Brown Eggs vs. White Eggs: What’s the Distinction?

There’s numerous info to be discovered on egg carton labels, however what concerning the colour of the eggs inside? That can assist you shell out your cash properly, we requested 4 poultry specialists why some eggs are white whereas others are brown, blue, and past.

What’s the distinction between brown and white eggs?

Poultry specialists say an eggshell’s colour is totally primarily based on the kind of hen that lays it. “The shell colour is dictated by the breed. It’s genetic,” says Jonathan Moyle, PhD, poultry knowledgeable and extension specialist on the College of Maryland School of Agriculture & Pure Assets. 

Most eggs include a “base colour” that’s white, explains Richard Blatchford, PhD, a poultry researcher and affiliate specialist in Cooperative Extension: Small to Business Scale Poultry on the UC Davis Division of Animal Science. However as eggs journey via hens’ oviducts in the course of the reproductive course of, some breeds deposit pigments that change the colour of the egg shells.

“For chickens that lay brown eggs, a pigment protein referred to as protoporphyrin is added because the eggshell is constructed, thus including the brown coloration,” says James Okay. Yarborough, extension agent of agriculture and pure sources on the College of Florida’s Institute of Meals and Agricultural Sciences. For chickens that lay blue eggs, a pigment protein referred to as oocyan is added when the eggshell is constructed, making a blue shade, he says.

Though exceptions exist, there’s a common rule within the poultry group in the case of realizing the colour of egg a hen will lay: Birds which have pink earlobes (which additionally are likely to have pink or red-brown feathers) will often lay brown eggs, and those who have white earlobes and feathers will lay white eggs, says Blatchford. 

Many of the brown eggs within the U.S. are produced by a sort of hen breed referred to as Rhode Island Purple or Plymouth Rock, whereas most of the white eggs are made by White Leghorn chickens, he says, noting, “No matter colour egg a hen lays at their first egg would be the identical colour all through their total life.”

There are some variations of brown and white, which can be dictated by the age of the hen. “Brown eggs could also be actually darkish brown when the hen is youthful and fade to a lighter colour when the hen is older,” Blanchard provides.

Are brown eggs more healthy?

Whereas brown eggs have constructed up a repute for being more healthy or extra “pure,” that’s not the case, provides Marc Dresner, director of built-in communications on the American Egg Board. “All eggs are wholesome in response to the FDA,” he says. One thing else price mentioning, per Dresner: “Natural eggs may be each white and brown, however opposite to in style false impression, not all brown eggs are natural.”

The colour of the eggshell has no affect on the egg’s dietary worth or style, provides Yarborough. “That is derived extra from breed and hen diet,” he provides. 

Blatchford agrees. “There needs to be no impact on any a part of the within of the egg primarily based on the eggshell colour,” he says. 

What about blue or inexperienced eggs? 

Pastel-hued eggs are much less widespread in business shops than brown and white eggs, however they present up on some cabinets. For instance, Two Creek’s Rainbow Eggs, which function a mixture of brown, white, inexperienced, blue, and beige eggshells, may be discovered at some specialty shops. However you’re extra prone to spot these coloured eggs at your native farmers market. 

Like brown and white eggs, pastel-colored eggs are additionally dictated by the breed of the hen, says Moyle. “There are all types of genetics occurring there,” he says. Some breeds, like Araucanas and Ameraucanas, are additionally identified for laying blue eggs, says Yarborough. 

“Individuals extra lately have completed numerous synthetic choice and are breeding birds that lay completely different coloured eggs,” says Blatchford. “They’ve provide you with all completely different shades of inexperienced, blue, and brown [eggs]. Some look pinkish, however they’re mainly a shade of brown.”

“Easter Eggers” are mixed-breed hens that carry blue and brown egg genes, and lay all kinds of coloured eggs. 

The underside line: Whereas shopping for pasture-raised eggs from the grocery retailer or farmers market will probably get you the highest-quality eggs, poultry specialists agree that there is no such thing as a “greatest” eggshell colour. Yarborough places it merely. “It doesn’t matter in any respect what colour eggs you select.”