Are brown eggs really healthier than white ones?

As nutritionist Uwe Knopp explains to the Fitbook portal, the perception that "brown means better" is not unique to eggs. Similar logic often applies to other products: for example, many also consider brown sugar or dark bread to be healthier. However, in reality, color can often be misleading: bread can be dyed, and brown sugar has the same caloric content and composition as white.

The situation with eggs is similar. The color of the shell is not a result of diet or the "naturalness" of the keeping conditions, but depends on the breed of the chicken.

Moreover, it can even be predicted by the bird's appearance — in particular, by the color of the so-called "earlobes" (small areas of bare skin behind the chicken's eyes near the ear openings). If they are white, the chicken typically lays white eggs; if red, brown eggs.

A separate category consists of light green eggs laid by Araucana chickens — a breed originating from South America and introduced to Europe back in the 19th century.

Despite this, buyers have formed a clear association: if an egg has a brown shell, it was laid by a chicken from an eco-farm or free-range, while a white one comes from a layer in intensive, often cage, production. Especially since packages of brown eggs often depict green meadows and free-range chickens. This creates the association: brown = farm-raised = healthy.

This is also influenced by the characteristics of the chickens themselves. Breeds that lay brown eggs are often better adapted to open-air conditions — they are more resistant to stress and cold. "White" chickens, as a rule, are more productive and require less feed, so they are more often used in mass production.

Only when looking at the issue from a scientific point of view does it become clear: the color of the egg itself says nothing about its nutritional value. According to Uwe Knopp, brown, white, and even green eggs contain equally valuable proteins and fats. The chicken's diet can slightly affect the composition, but it does not make the egg "healthier" in principle.

A much more important factor is the keeping conditions. Organic eggs, regardless of color, usually contain fewer pesticide and medication residues, and the animal welfare requirements on such farms are significantly higher.

According to Uwe Knopp, even the color of the yolk, often perceived as a sign of quality, does not provide reliable information: it can be changed by both natural feed and special additives.

Regarding cholesterol, the expert notes: a healthy person's body regulates its level independently, and there is no convincing evidence of harm from products containing it. Therefore, eating only the egg white and discarding the yolk is not at all necessary.

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