What is the difference between white and brown eggs

Today the shelves of stores and farmers' markets are full of different kinds of eggs: white, brown, red, green, blue and even spotted. And that's just the chicken ones!

Of all the variety, we are used to two varieties: white and brown. That said, many people are at the mercy of prejudice when it comes to choosing chicken eggs. Some people think that brown eggs are "healthier," or "healthier" for the body, while for others, white eggs are better or simply tastier. There is also a widespread myth about some exceptional benefits of brown product and its positive effect on the body, which is largely due to its higher cost on the market.

Well, let's find out if this is true, and if there are any constructive differences between the two different kinds of eggs at all, or is it just another deception by marketers?

General information and myths

Chicken eggs, as one of the most widely available products, have also been a cause for constant debate for centuries. White or brown? What is it: a cholesterol bomb or a source of nutrients? Almost everyone has their own opinion on this matter. But the fact remains that the average adult today eats about 230 eggs a year. That's not to mention the increased consumption of egg products during the holiday seasons, when eggs are used primarily for baking.

For a long time, chicken eggs had a negative reputation: cholesterol, extra calories, dioxin, and then salmonella. Nevertheless, they contain a full complement of healthy vitamins and minerals, iodine, high-quality protein and lecithin, which improve memory and strengthen the body. Because of cholesterol, which is present only in the yolk, experts do not recommend consuming more than three eggs a week. However, the body of a healthy person keeps cholesterol levels at normal levels regardless of the amount of consumption of this product.

There is a perception that the dark yellow yolk is more nutrient-rich. However, the color of the yolk varies from light yellow to dark orange, depending on what the chicken eats. However, this does not affect the taste, freshness, nutritional value or quality of the product. The darker yolk is valued higher by consumers simply because of stereotypes, so producers sometimes artificially influence the production of eggs with brown yolk by adding natural dyes (called carotenoids) to the bird's feed.

The natural color of the shells, on the other hand, depends for the most part on the genotype. Eggs can be greenish, or even blue, depending on the pigment that comes from special glands in the hen. The name of the basic brown shell pigment is protoporphyrin IX.

As already stated, the pigment saturation of the egg depends on the breed. For example, the White Leghorn breed lays white eggs, while the Plimutrock lays brown eggs. There are some breeds that are distinguished by their original coloring and lay eggs of blue, greenish and pink color. These include, for example, the Araucana and Ameraucana. There is nothing unusual about this.

According to a University of Pennsylvania study, eggs of different colors contain the same amount of nutrients. One large egg contains an average of 72 calories, 6.29 g of protein, 4.97 g of fat, 212 mg of cholesterol and 125.5 mg of choline regardless of its shell color. They also contain substantial amounts of vitamin A, D, E, B-6, B-12, folic acid, thiamine, riboflavin, calcium, potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, iron and zinc. In addition, no difference in taste or quality has been shown to exist.

Thus, there is no winner in this battle of white vs. brown eggs. The only real difference between the two is their price, as brown shells historically have a higher value. In fact, the color of an egg does not affect the nutritional value, quality, flavor, characteristics of the food prepared from it or the thickness of the shell.

Why brown eggs are more expensive than white eggs

Back to the original question - why are these varieties of eggs still priced differently, despite the fact that even the consumer could not find the differences between the product offered to him. The answer is simple: it has to do with the weight of the bird. White breeds always have smaller body sizes than brown breeds. For example, the Russian White chicken breed bred in the USSR that lays eggs with white egg shells has an average body size of 1.3 kilograms. On the other hand, the average weight of a dark brown Loman Brown hen, which lays light brown eggs, is two kilograms.

Brown eggs are more expensive not only because they look more natural and "rustic" (although this perception makes people want to buy brown eggs in the first place, which marketers take advantage of).

Brown eggs are more expensive to produce because the birds that lay them require more serious conditions due to their larger body size and, accordingly, higher feed costs. The difficulty with these breeds is that breeders need to find a balance between feed costs and the number of eggs produced without going into deficit.

These extra costs are passed on to the consumer. Although it's cheaper to raise white egg-producing chickens, brown ones continue to sell well, so farmers still raise birds in huge numbers.

The benefits of brown eggs

There is a myth that brown eggs have more protein, they taste better, are healthier, and are simply more natural compared to white eggs. However, even if there is some truth in this, it has nothing to do with the color of the shell itself (sometimes brown eggs contain more omega-3 fatty acids, but in such small amounts that it has no effect on the body).

If you dig a little deeper, you can see that it basically comes down to the way the chickens are raised. What color the shell and yolk will be in an egg is largely influenced by the diet the bird sits on. If you fed a hen laying white eggs and her "partner" laying brown eggs the same food under the same conditions, you probably wouldn't notice any difference when you opened the shell.

This is interesting! Where do you think is the best place to store eggs? The answer will surprise you: it's up to the laws of the country where you live. For example, according to Japanese, Australian, and American law, all eggs for sale must be washed. Cleaned eggs are better protected against the salmonella parasite, but they lose the natural wax layer on the shell surface that protects them from microorganisms. So all washed eggs, according to the legislation of these countries, must be stored in the refrigerator.

Which hens lay brown eggs and which ones are white?

The color of the eggs depends on the so-called ear disc (a small part of the skin on the head - the "earlobes") of the hen, not the color of the plumage. White earlobes indicate white eggs; red ones, respectively, mean brown eggs.

Except for the color of the shell, there are no differences between white and brown eggs. Even their culinary properties are the same.

A white egg has the same nutrients and vitamins as a brown egg. It consists of 75% water, 12% protein and fat and 1% mineral salts and vitamins. The egg contains high-quality nutrients in a particularly concentrated form.

In spite of this, however, the final color of the eggs also depends on the living conditions of the bird.

The size and weight of the eggs depend on the age of the chicks. The older the hen, the larger and therefore heavier the eggs she lays.

Average egg sizes:

• S: up to 53 g.
• M: 53 to 63 g.
• L: 63-73 г.
• XL: about 73 g.

Is it true that a brown bird will have brown eggs

No, there is no relationship between plumage and egg color. To be able to infer the color of the shells from the appearance of the hens, you need to take a closer look. Namely, look at the skin above the ears, at the earlobes. If they are white, the eggs will be white. If the earlobes are red, the shell will be brown.

Are brown eggs healthier than white eggs?

There is no difference in the nutritional composition of eggs. The fact that people mostly prefer to buy brown eggs is mainly due to the habit of consumers who believe that such a product is healthier or more nutritious.

Nevertheless, in the old days, this myth had a basis. Originally, brown eggs were considered a true natural product because brown chickens were raised on farms and fed healthier organic foods. White eggs, on the other hand, were made under production conditions, in large poultry farms. In doing so, for many years these poultry farms purchased brown poultry, selling brown "natural" eggs. However, since the production conditions for these birds were soon no different, there was no longer any difference between the eggs of different colors. And yet the myth proved to be persistent; many people still consider browns to be healthier and more natural than whites.

Thus, people still maintain the old stereotype, thereby further feeding it and giving it life. The poultry industry also maintains this stereotype because of its profit, selling mostly brown eggs and leaving the whites mostly for bakeries, large kitchens, and food service facilities. Overall, about six out of ten eggs sold in Russia are brown. The situation is similar in many European countries, such as Poland or Germany. On the other hand, it is different in many Scandinavian countries, where consumers prefer white eggs. However, at Easter, sales of white eggs are increasing in all European countries, because they are easier to dye.

Answer from the professor

What is the real difference between white and brown eggs? Ronald Stubendorf, a graduate agricultural engineer who has been working at a poultry farm for more than four years, knows the answer.

The difference lies in the pigmentation of the eggshell. The color depends on the breed of hen. Some have brown eggs, others have white eggs. There are even chicken breeds with green eggs. In terms of taste, it doesn't matter at all whether the egg is white or brown. This has been proven more than once by blind tastings. In addition, the products also do not differ in terms of nutritional content. Nevertheless, the brown shell is considered to be a bit tougher. Large companies prefer white eggs because they are better lit and are easier to spot cracks or bruises.

In addition to the nutrition factor, there are many myths about brown and white eggs. For example, the shell of the former is structurally more complex than the latter, and the yolk of a brown egg has a richer color than that of a white egg. However, there is no scientific evidence for these claims. It is true that young birds lay eggs that have tougher shells, while the food the birds eat may contain substances that change the color of the yolk. However, these facts have nothing to do with the variety of egg.