Are Brown Eggs Better Than White?

How many people would choose brown shelled eggsproducers and supermarkets will often charge more.
before white? Quite a lot actually. There a commonlyIt is also true that hens that lay brown eggs are
held belief that brown eggs are "better" for us, areusually slightly larger than white egg-producing hens,
healthier and more nutritious. Egg sellers at Farmerstherefore they require more feed and care; this
Markets report that customers, if given the choice,extra expense is usually passed on to consumers.
invariably choose brown. There is a paradox in thatWhy are eggs different colours?
the UK public would choose brown and in the USAShell colour is generally not as a result of diet it is
they would generally choose white.generally believed to be genetic and even more
Are brown eggs better for you?specifically certain breeds of chicken lay white eggs
The public preference for brown eggs suggests theyand other breeds lay brown eggs. A rough guide is
believe they are. The opinion of most nutritioniststhat white eggs are produced by hens with white
suggests otherwise. Nutritionists believe that there isfeathers and earlobes whilst brown eggs are
no evidence to suggest that brown eggs areproduced by hens with red feathers and red
healthier, tastier or more nutritious. One fact thatearlobes.
confuses this argument is that most commerciallyExamples of breeds that lay brown eggs are the
bought eggs are produced by hens in "battery farms"Rhode Island Red, the New Hampshire and the
which means the hens are all fed roughly the samePlymouth Rock: White Leghorns are the most popular
high protein diet containing antibiotics and hormones.breed producing white eggs. The Aracuna breed
Are brown eggs more expensive than brown?however lays colored eggs ranging from olive green
There is no doubt that given the publicsto turquoise, but that's another discussion.
preconceptions about egg colour commercial egg