The Real Difference Between White and Brown Eggs, According to an Egg Farmer

0Credit: AdobeAre brown eggs worth the mark-up?Key TakeawaysEggshell color depends on the chicken’s breed, not its nutrition or quality.

Brown eggs often cost more, but they’re no more nutritious than white eggs.

The hen’s diet, not the eggshell color, influences yolk color.

While most people simply write “eggs” on their shopping list, the actual decision-making process is much more complicated. Beyond size (large, extra-large), nutrition (boosted omega-3s), and hen treatment (free-range, organic, cage-free), you also have to decide what color eggs you want to bring home.

White eggs tend to be the cheapest, brown eggs cost more, and exotic blue eggs cost the most. But why is that? Are brown eggs any better? We talked to an egg farmer to find out.

“When it comes to white eggs versus brown eggs, the biggest difference is the breed of the chicken that laid them,” says Tanner Pace, an egg farmer at Pace Valley View Farm that supplies eggs to Vital Farms. Some chicken breeds naturally lay white eggs, and some lay brown eggs. It just depends on what breed the farm chooses to raise.

Tracy Ramsdell, Marketing Director for Dakota Layers, explains: “A common misconception is that brown eggs are more natural or nutritious than white eggs, but that simply isn’t the case. As egg farmers, we raise different breeds of hens, and shell color is just one of the natural characteristics that can vary among them.”

This means that, no matter what egg color you choose, you’ll get the same nutritional quality. “Shell color does not indicate a difference in quality, taste, or nutrition. Unless an egg has been specifically nutritionally enhanced through the hen’s feed, shoppers can expect the same high-quality nutrition from both brown and white eggs,” says Ramsdell. White and brown eggs cook the same, whether you’re scrambling, boiling, or baking.

Brown eggs tend to cost more simply because of consumer perception—not because they provide more value. Many factors beyond eggshell color, like cage-free, free-range, organic certification, added nutrition, and more, can affect price and perceived value.

There’s something extra enticing about a deep yellow, orangey yolk. Does the shell color affect this? Pace answered with a solid no. “The shell color usually has no indication of what color the yolk will be. Shell color is dependent on the genetics of that specific chicken. Yolk color tells you more about what she’s been eating. That’s why you can find vibrant yolks inside brown, white, and even blue eggs.”

If you’re seeking bright, deeply colored yolks, look for eggs from pasture-raised hens. A varied, nutrient-dense diet tends to yield vibrant yolks, regardless of eggshell color.