Differences Between White and Brown Eggs

Some people prefer white eggs. They wouldn't purchase brown eggs if there were no white eggs available at their grocery store. They think brown eggs are much different from what the white ones they are accustomed to eating.

Some people prefer brown eggs and would not purchase white eggs. The egg people grew up eating is the one they tend to stick with when they have to buy and cook their own food.

It is not surprising to see more cartons of white eggs in grocery because they are more popular.

The Color

The egg shell seems to be the only difference between white eggs and brown eggs. The color has no bearing on their quality or taste. Both eggs taste the same and have the same nutritional value.

An expert in animal science at Cornell University concludes that the only difference is the color of the shell that nobody eats. Some cooks say they find brown shells to be slightly harder than the white shells. Egg experts have said that brown and white eggs have the same thickness depending on the age of the chicken. They conclude that younger chickens tend to lay eggs with harder shells, and older chicken lay eggs with thinner shells. That is true whether the egg is white or brown. The insides of brown and white eggs are exactly the same.

The Source

The color of egg shells has something to do with the breed of chicken they come from. Egg shells are white when they come from white-feathered chickens with white earlobes.

Egg shells are brown not because they come from brown chickens but when they come from red-feathered chickens with red earlobes. Red-feathered chickens are bigger than other chickens. Therefore, they lay bigger eggs.

The color of a chicken's earlobes can determine the color of eggs it will produce more so than just the color of a chicken's feathers.

The Cost

There is a significant difference in the cost of brown eggs and white eggs. Brown eggs are more expensive not because they are better as some consumers think. They cost more because they are bigger. They are bigger because they come from bigger chickens that require more food to maintain. So, the consumer pays more for them in the grocery store.

White eggs tend to be more popular and plentiful in supermarkets because it is so much cheaper to breed and raise white-feathered chickens. Therefore, stores do not need to charge customers extra.

The price for one dozen eggs varies from state to state and at the discretion of the seller. Consumers can purchase a dozen white eggs in their local grocery store for as little as $0.42 per dozen depending on the size. In most states, the cost is less than $1.00 with the average cost being only $0.89 per dozen. Brown eggs carry a more expensive price tag.

If you want to spend extra money because of the color of the egg shell, then go for it. However, you don't have to do so. White eggs come in different sizes, and the cost depends on the size. Brown eggs come in only one size because all of them are large.

Personal Preferences

Some people prefer brown eggs because they have been misled to think they are natural and healthier. Some people use brown eggs to cook fluffy dishes like quiches. They use white eggs to bake cakes and pies. Other cooks believe just the opposite.

No one will be able to tell what color the shell was when eggs are scrambled, fried, boiled, poached, made into a quiche or omelet or baked into a dessert. The bottom line is that it comes down to personal preferences when deciding to use eggs with white shells or eggs with brown shells.