Store or Farm Eggs? Brown or White Eggs?

Shaneen Smith
Nov 1, 2021
2 min read

Have you ever found yourself frozen with confusion at the grocery fridge scratching your head wondering what's with the price difference between white and brown eggs? If you have, you’re not alone!

BROWN EGGS ~ VS ~ WHITE EGGS IS THE PRICE DIFFERENCE WORTH IT?

White eggs are more popular is because of their lower price. Brown eggs are typically more expensive than white eggs. This must mean the brown eggs are more nutritious, organic and free range right? Well, not necessarily.

I took these photos at one of our local grocery stores. As you can see above the brown eggs above are $1.20 more than the white. It is possible that the misconception of a brown egg is organic, healthier and more nutritious than a white egg could be related to the fact they are priced higher.

Hold tight! Because everything you thought you knew about white eggs - vs - brown eggs is about to fry your brain!

ISA Brown ~ VS ~ White Leghorn

Here's the science . . .

It takes a short 26 hours for a hen to produce an incredible edible egg. Twenty of those hours are used to produce the shell. Colour or pigments are deposited onto the egg at the end of the hens cycle within her uterus or the "paint station" some call it.

White egg layers produce no pigments, so they require less feed and lay sooner than a brown egg layer.

Brown egg layers deposit colour onto their shells at a much later process than white a white egg layer, which requires more nutrients and energy.

In short, it takes more feed for a brown egg layer to accommodate production of her egg, and therefore the price difference.

If a brown egg layer requires more feed, that should mean her eggs are more nutritious, right? Um, nope! There is no significant nutritional difference between a brown egg and a white egg. However there would be differences in taste and yolk colour and consistency depend on the hen’s diet and their environment.

A hen free ranging, fed a diet rich with grass pasture, seeds, vegetables, gmo free grains and bugs will result in a better tasting egg. And of course, the fresher the egg the tastier and more nutritious, so consider supporting your local farmers!

In the end, does it really matter what colour eggs we buy?

If saving some money is your top priority then white eggs would be your first option.

If ethically raised hens, egg taste, yolk colour and consistency is your primary concern always consider truly free range organic eggs purchased directly from farms in your area.