White Eggs Vs Brown Eggs: Does The Shell Colour Really Matter For Your Health?
Last Updated:July 28, 2025, 10:57 IST
White and brown eggs offer the same nutrition—what truly matters is how the hen was raised, not the shell’s color.
Turns out white and brown eggs are equally healthy—it’s the hen’s diet that makes the real difference.
Walk into any grocery store, and you’ll find yourself facing a breakfast dilemma, white eggs or brown eggs? While they look different and are often priced differently, many people wonder if one is healthier than the other. Let’s crack the truth open.
What Causes the Color Difference?
The only real difference between white and brown eggs is the breed of the hen that lays them. White-feathered hens with white earlobes typically lay white eggs, while brown-feathered hens with red earlobes lay brown eggs. That’s it—there’s no nutritional distinction caused by shell color itself.
Dr Rujuta Diwekar, a leading nutritionist, has often emphasized in her talks, “The color of the shell does not affect the quality of the egg. Nutrition depends more on the hen’s diet and living conditions than the color of its feathers.”
Nutritional Content
According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), both white and brown eggs contain the same amount of protein (roughly 6 grams per large egg), along with equal levels of cholesterol, fat, and vitamins such as B2, B12, and D. The difference, if any, lies in how the hens are raised and what they’re fed—not the color of the egg.
Why Are Brown Eggs More Expensive?
Brown eggs often cost more simply because the hens that lay them are typically larger and require more feed, driving up the cost. Additionally, brown eggs are often associated with organic or free-range farming, which adds to the price due to more humane and sustainable farming practices.
So Which Is Healthier?
In essence, neither white nor brown eggs are inherently healthier. What matters more is whether the eggs are organic, pasture-raised, hormone-free, and how fresh they are. If you’re looking for nutritional value, focus on the egg’s quality, not its shell color.
Whether you’re team white egg or brown egg, you’re getting roughly the same nutrients. What counts is how the hen lived and what she ate. If you want the healthiest eggs, look for labels like “organic,” “pasture-raised,” or “omega-3 enriched.”
So next time you’re at the supermarket, don’t let the color sway you. Pick the eggs that align with your ethics, budget, and dietary needs because when it comes to nutrition, the inside matters more than the shell.
Swati Chaturvedi, a seasoned media and journalism aficionado with over 10 years of expertise, is not just a storyteller; she’s a weaver of wit and wisdom in the digital landscape. As a key figure in News18 Engl…Read More
Swati Chaturvedi, a seasoned media and journalism aficionado with over 10 years of expertise, is not just a storyteller; she’s a weaver of wit and wisdom in the digital landscape. As a key figure in News18 Engl… Read More
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