Researchers recently found that humans first domesticated chickens in parts of China, Thailand, and Myanmar. They also learned that the red jungle fowl subspecies Gallus gallus spadiceus is the animal’s ancestor. Chickens diverged from this subspecies between 9,500 to 3,300 years ago.
After this domestication, humans bred their chickens with other jungle fowl species. Eventually, this led to the breeds we have today. Chicken breeds differ from each other based on traits such as size, feather color, and even egg color.
One has to wonder, though, about the differences between different egg colors. When it comes to white vs brown eggs, for example, is one arguably better than the other? Read on to learn more from this white and brown eggs guide.
What Controls Color in White vs Brown Eggs?
Many people believe that brown eggs are healthier than white eggs. In actuality, there is no nutritional difference between the two egg types. The color difference comes from pigments that the hen naturally produces.
Scientists have named the main pigment in brown eggshells protoporphyrin IX. It’s made of a compound that gives blood its red color. Other chicken egg colors have unique pigments as well.
Other Chicken Egg Colors
Yes, there are other chicken egg colors than just white and brown. Any chicken, depending on its genetics, can be a blue, blue-green, and even an olive egger (‘egger’ means a chicken that lays eggs). These colors come about mostly due to the pigment biliverdin.
Chicken egg colors also depend on individual genetics. Certain egg colors aren’t exclusive to certain breeds, however. Two individual chickens within the same breed can lay different colored eggs.
What Factors Control Nutritional Differences in Eggs?
Brown eggs can be more nutritional than white eggs, but that has nothing to do with shell color. In fact, white eggs can be more nutritional than brown eggs in some cases.
The level of nutrition contained within an egg all depends on its mother’s environment. For example, experts have found that it’s possible to manipulate the number of certain vitamins within an egg.
Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Scientists have fed hens feed that had a higher level of omega-3 vitamins. The eggs these hens laid later had a higher level of omega-3 vitamins.
Vitamin D
Feeding hens feed that had a higher vitamin D content also resulted in eggs that had more vitamin D. In addition, scientists also found that exposing hens to more sunshine increased the amount of vitamin D in their eggs.
Why Are Brown Eggs More Expensive Than White Eggs, Then?
One reason why consumers decide not to buy white eggs and get brown eggs instead has to do with price. Brown eggs are typically more expensive than white eggs. This leads people to believe that brown eggs are higher in quality, which isn’t always the case.
The Truth About Brown Eggers
This isn’t necessarily the case. Brown eggs used to be more expensive because brown eggers laid fewer eggs than white eggers. Farmers needed to keep brown egg prices at a higher price to prevent profit losses.
Brown Eggs Today
After several generations of breeding, brown eggers can now lay eggs at the same rate as white eggers. However, other factors have kept the overall price of brown eggs high. Free-range, organic, and other more-expensive specialty eggs tend to be brown instead of white.
This happens partly because of marketing efforts and consumer choices. Consumers buy free-range brown eggs more often than free-range white eggs. Experts suspect this happens because consumers believe brown eggs are more holistic.
Do Brown and White Eggs Have Different Tastes?
People who prefer to eat white eggs may say that white eggs taste better than brown ones. People who like brown eggs may think the opposite. What is the truth?
Science hasn’t found any inherent differences in taste between white and brown eggs. Like with nutrition, what affects an egg’s taste has to do with its environment.
Freshness
For example, a fresher egg should taste better than an older egg. This is a major reason why a pet chicken’s eggs may taste better. These eggs were stored for less time.
Cooking
How a person cooks an egg can also affect the resulting flavor. A group of scientists found that omega-3-enhanced eggs tasted differently whether they were boiled or scrambled.
How Can a Consumer Get Healthier or Tastier Eggs?
If you want eggs with a certain taste or nutritional value, egg color isn’t what you should compare. You instead need to look at the labels on egg cartons. Certain specialty egg types are more likely to taste better and be more nutritious than brown-shelled eggs.
For Tastier Eggs
Fresher eggs should taste better. Eggs that have a ‘local’ label should be fresher than ones that don’t have this label.
For More Nutritional Eggs
Eggs that have the “omega-3 enriched” label have more omega-3 than ones without the label. In addition, eggs with “cage-free” and “free-range” labels should have more vitamin D. The hens in these situations have likely gotten a lot more sunshine than others.
What to Ignore
Ignore the “all-natural” label. Unlike the other labels above, this label isn’t regulated. That is, food and nutrition authorities don’t have rules in place for which products can or cannot have the “all-natural” label.
If a carton of eggs has the “all-natural” label and nothing else, they’re likely no different than any other egg.
Check Out the Other Useful Pieces on Our Site
In sum, the only real difference between white vs brown eggs is aesthetics. If you want to get a better egg, you need to pay attention to factors such as how the hen was raised instead.
Also, if you have more free time, why not spend it reading some of our other highly informative articles? You can gain fun and/or useful facts about food beauty, entertainment, and more from our pieces. Explore the site and you’re sure to find something that you’ll love.
