Why are colored eggs more expensive than white ones?

There’s a meme that says you only reach adulthood when you start buying colored eggs instead of white ones. But apart from the pigments contained in their shell, is there anything that differentiates them? For the price, it seems so: the colored ones, even if they are the same size, are generally much more expensive than the white ones.

Is this a strange case of reverse racism? Are brown-shelled eggs better quality than their pale counterparts?

“There should be no difference between white and colored chicken eggs,” says Evelyn Sánchez, an academic at the School of Nutrition and Dietetics at the University of Las Américas. “Neither in terms of flavor, nor in nutritional terms. »

This is confirmed by María Jesús Zepeda, nutritionist at Examedi, who assures that in terms of “macronutrients, the two eggs are identical.” So why do they have different colors?

“Colored eggs are laid by hens with reddish-brown plumage,” explains Zepeda, “and white eggs are laid by hens with white plumage. Also in the countryside, light blue eggs are common, laid by black hens,” he explains.

Betania Álvarez Reyes, owner and creator of Eggy, a cafeteria specializing in eggs, knows the subject well. “The only difference is the color of the shell, which varies depending on the breed of chicken.”

The flavor therefore does not depend on the exterior color but on the conditions in which the chickens live: the quality and variety of the food they receive, the amount of movement they make or the level of stress they face. Obviously, the healthier the birds are, which some seals certify, such as Certified cruelty-free which ensures that they live without fixed enclosures and in large spaces: the more nutrients your egg will have, which in turn will be tastier.

“From a nutritional point of view, eggs are one of our main sources of protein, which are also of very good quality,” analyzes Sánchez.

The yolk, for example, contains fat-soluble vitamins such as A, D, E; It also contains minerals like zinc, iron and phosphorus; and other nutrients such as vitamin B6, B12, choline and thiamine. “It’s mainly in the yolk, but in the white we also find very digestible proteins and essential amino acids,” he explains.

Claudia Rojas, academic at the School of Nutrition and Dietetics at Andrés Bello University, says that in general, here are the nutritional values ​​of an egg (the color does not matter):

• Calories: 143 kcal
• Protein: 12.5 gr
• Carbohydrates: 0.7 gr
• Lipids: 9.5 gr

“Eggs are also a source of lutein and zeaxanthin, two antioxidants found in the yolk and associated with eye health,” Zepeda points out.

They are also one of the main dietary sources of a nutrient called choline, very necessary for everyone but especially important during pregnancy. “It plays a crucial role in fetal brain development and may help prevent neural tube defects. It is also important for cognitive health at all stages of life,” he explains.

“People who participate in blind tasting panels, where they do not know the origin or appearance of the food, are not able to recognize the difference between a colored egg and a white by taste” , explains Zepeda.

That’s why Rojas recommends looking at height or weight, what in the industry is called caliber. If two eggs from the same producer weigh the same, regardless of their color, then they will be nutritionally equal. “They weigh on average 50 grams: there are 35 grams of white and 15 grams of yellow,” he explains.

At Eggy, yes, to make the delicious preparations on their menu they favor colored eggs. “But beyond their shell, our egg suppliers must have the Certified Humane label, which certifies that the hens are cage-free,” explains Álvarez.

One difference that can occur between eggs is between young hens and adult hens. “In the composition of the egg, young hens will have a larger yolk and a smaller white. An adult hen, on the other hand, works the other way: the yolk will be a little smaller and the white will be bigger,” explains the UDLA academic.

How do you know if the chicken was young or old? The skin can be a good indicator. “The younger the chicken, the stronger its shell must be; and if the hen is already adult, it loses its firmness, which makes it a little easier to break,” he emphasizes.

“It may be that the costs associated with the maintenance of red hens, their diet and their size make the colored egg a little more expensive than the white egg,” analyzes Sánchez.

“In general, darker breed hens, which lay colored eggs, tend to be larger, so they require a greater amount of feed and this translates into higher costs for the producer,” analyzes Álvarez d ‘Eggy, who prefers precisely this type. of egg in their preparations.

“The nutritional properties are standard, despite the difference in shell color,” explains Zepeda. Therefore, the only reason why some are more expensive than others is the type of chicken farming – free range or caged -, the size of the egg – whether it is super, extra or normal – or if it contains nutritional additives. (like eggs with omega3).

Rojas points out that in Chile, six types of eggs are recognized based on their caliber. Its value normally depends on it.

• Special: greater than 68 grams,
• Very large: 61 to 68 grams
• Large: 54 to 61 grams
• Medium: 47 to 54 grams
• Boy: 40 to 47 grams
• Very small: less than 40 grams

Certainly the egg is a noble food, with high nutritional properties. But with confirmation from specialists, we can assure that there are no substantial differences between colored eggs and white eggs. “Even though the price of eggs has increased considerably in recent times, they remain a food that provides many benefits, an excellent and versatile source of protein,” concludes Sánchez.