Many people wonder if white eggs and brown eggs taste different or if they are interchangeable in baking which makes complete sense because when it comes to baking it’s always a good idea to know the difference between various types of ingredients as it can affect your final product. But is there really a difference between white eggs and brown eggs?
White Eggs vs. Brown Eggs
Chicken eggs come in different colors, including blue and green, but it’s more common to only see white and brown colored eggs at the supermarket.
But what exactly determines the color of an egg? The breed of the chicken does!
Generally, white eggs are produced by hens with white feathers and white or light-colored earlobes. Brown eggs, on the other hand, come from hens with brown feathers and red earlobes. So neither white nor brown eggs are bleached.
The quality, flavor, and nutrition of eggs, whether white or brown, mainly depends on many factors like the chicken’s meals and environment.
Shell Quality
White and brown eggs have the same shell quality. It largely depends on the age of the hen regardless of the breed.
The eggs get larger as a hen ages, but the calcium content remains the same no matter what the size is. So generally, more mature hens have thinner eggshells compared to young hens.
Nutritional Value
White and brown eggs have the same nutritional content. They contain identical amounts of protein (about 6.5 grams for one large egg), vitamins A, D, and E, and minerals like iron, choline, zinc, and folate. It is also a complete protein because it has nine essential amino acids.
There are nutrient-enhanced eggs where they contain more of a certain nutrient, usually vitamin D and omega-3. So the amount of nutrients you get from eggs is influenced by the chicken’s diet and living conditions.
Taste
Similar to nutritional value, there is no real difference in the taste of white and brown eggs. While other people prefer the taste of brown eggs, some like white eggs better.
Regardless of shell color, the taste depends on the chicken’s diet, freshness, and cooking method.
Price
Brown eggs come at a higher price tag than white eggs because they are more expensive to produce. The hens that lay brown eggs are larger, hence they require more feeds and a larger space to live.
Many specialty eggs like organic and free-range also tend to be brown rather than white. All things considered, the only real difference between white and brown eggs, aside from color, is the cost.
Does the color of the egg matter in baking?
The color of the egg doesn’t matter. What is important is the quality of the egg.
You might notice that most chefs and bakers use brown eggs instead of white. This is most likely because brown eggs tend to be fresher than white as they come from local farms.
But another practical answer is that it’s easier to see and remove brown shell bits from a bowl or pot.
The quality and nutrition you would get from white eggs are not different from brown eggs. But if you’re trying to save money, stick with the cheaper white eggs.
What’s the best kind of egg to buy?
Since shell color is out of the question, the best kind of egg you can buy are the eggs produced by hens with healthy diets and raised in stress-free living conditions.
Look for labels like free-range, organic, pasture-raised, antibiotic-free, and vitamin D or omega-3 enriched. The next time you buy a carton of eggs, consider the quality and source instead of color.
What countries have brown eggs and what countries have white eggs?
Most countries have both white and brown eggs available in supermarkets. But the United Kingdom and China are known to consume more brown eggs than any other country. On the other hand, countries like the United States, Canada, and Mexico consume more white eggs.
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