What's the Difference Between Brown and White Eggs?

The United States produces a staggering 50 billion eggs per year, making us the largest egg producing nation in the world! Iowa, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Indiana and California are the biggest egg producing states.

It is unfortunate that the majority of those eggs are produces in concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs). Many chickens never see what the great outdoors even looks like, living their lives in an area that is wall to wall chickens.

About 70%of the eggs produced are sold as is, while the rest have their shells removed for conversion into both liquid and dried egg products.

Brown Eggs vs. White Eggs:

Some people claim brown eggs are better for you because they contain more nutrients. Others are convinced they're better for cooking fluffy things like quiches, while white eggs are better for baking cakes. Then there are those who believe just the opposite.

The only documented real difference between brown eggs and white eggs are the color of the shells. The way you raise the chickens and what you feed them, is what has determines the nutritional value of the eggs that they lay.

Chickens that lay white eggs are generally white or light-colored, with white earlobes. Brown eggs are most often laid by red-, brown- or otherwise dark-feathered hens, with red earlobes. Sometimes these color patterns between the feathers and the earlobes, don't match up. When that happens the earlobe color takes precedence.

Chickens with red earlobes tend to be larger than their white earlobed chickens. Since they are bigger, they eat more. The theory is that the farmers need to get reimbursed for the extra feed somehow, so increase the price of brown eggs.

Chickens' Diet Differences Affect Taste, Yolk Color and Nutrition:

If you've ever tasted eggs laid by a pasture-raised chicken, you would notice the difference in taste between those and eggs from a Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation, that eat GMO grains, supplemented with vitamins and possibly treated with antibiotics.

For more egg information about the healthiest eggs, from nutrition to how to tell if they're really fresh, see:

Everything You Need To Know About Eggs

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