What are the health benefits of different types of eggs?

How can eggs be so different?

Are the more expensive eggs worth it?

What do the different shell and yolk colors mean?

Are white eggs or brown eggs healthier?

These might be some of the questions you’re asking yourself when buying eggs, I know I have!

Before we dive into the details, let’s go over the common terms you’ll see: Conventional, Cage-Free, and Pasture-Raised.

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Conventional Eggs

Chickens are raised in battery cages, which are small wire cages stacked in large indoor facilities. Each bird has less than 67 square inches of space, which is smaller than a sheet of paper! They cannot spread their wings, perch, or nest naturally.

They’re typically fed a grain-based diet, which may include antibiotics or synthetic additives. There are no welfare certifications required unless the farm voluntarily participates in a third-party program that verifies humane animal care.

Unfortunately, there are no federal laws requiring humane treatment of laying hens. As long as the eggs are safe to eat, farms can legally use these intensive confinement systems. States like California and Massachusetts have stricter standards, but most others do not.

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Cage-Free Eggs

These hens aren’t kept in cages but still live indoors in large, crowded barns called aviary systems. They’re able to walk, nest, perch, and spread their wings, but do not go outside. While this is a step up from battery cages, the space is still tight.

Also important: Cage-free eggs are not required to be checked for animal welfare unless the farm participates in a third-party certification program. This option is only worth the higher price if it includes a welfare certification or the brand uses a higher-quality feed (e.g., organic or omega-3-enriched).

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Pasture-Raised Eggs

This is often considered the gold standard when it comes to buying eggs. These hens are raised with outdoor access to pasture (weather permitting) and are able to forage for bugs, seeds, and grasses. They typically have access to indoor shelter at night.

Pasture-raised hens live more naturally. However—and this is important to note that “pasture-raised” is not regulated by the USDA.

So any brand can use the term, even if the hens barely go outside.

Without a certification label, there’s no standard definition, no inspection, and no required outdoor space per bird. This term is often used as a marketing buzzword to make you think you’re making a healthier choice.

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✅ What to Actually Look For

1. Real third-party labels—not unregulated marketing terms like “natural” or “happy hens.” These claims are not regulated and are designed to sway your purchase.
2. Trusted third-party certifications: they check the farms to make sure they are staying true to their claims
   • Certified Humane
   • Animal Welfare Approved
   • American Humane Certified
   • USDA Organic (this only covers the feed, not outdoor access—unless paired with another certification)
3. Scan the packaging for QR codes or certification numbers. Some brands link directly to farm information so you can see how the hens are actually raised.
4. Use the Cornucopia Institute’s Egg Scorecard.
5. This independent scorecard ranks egg brands based on transparency and animal welfare practices.

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🍳 What About Nutrition?

The color of the egg yolk is directly influenced by the hen’s diet.

A darker orange or deep yellow yolk usually means the hen ate a more varied, nutrient-dense diet, which makes the eggs more nutrient-rich for us!

But, watch out! Some conventional systems add synthetic pigments to feed to manipulate yolk color, making it look healthier than it is.

So how do you know what you’re really getting?

→ Third-party certifications matter here too.

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🐔 Chicken Feed 101: What Are Hens Eating?

Hens can be fed a range of diets. Here’s a quick overview:

1. Commercial Feed
   • Includes grains (corn, soy, wheat), soybean meal
   • Synthetic vitamins and minerals
   • Additives like enzymes, amino acids, antibiotics, and sometimes hormones
   • May contain GMOs and animal by-products
2. Organic Feed
   • Same base as commercial, but:
     • No GMOs
     • No synthetic pesticides, fertilizers, or antibiotics
     • No animal by-products
     • Made with organic grains
3. Vegetarian Feed
   • Grain-based with no animal by-products
   • A marketing term more than anything, because chickens are naturally omnivores
4. Omega-3 Enriched Feed
   • Fortified with flaxseed, chia, fish oil, or algae
   • Increases omega-3 content in the eggs, a natural anti-inflammatory fat
5. Pasture-Based / Foraged Feed
   • Hens eat insects, worms, grass, and seeds
   • Often supplemented with organic feed
   • This diverse diet improves the egg’s nutrient profile

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🥚 So… Are Brown Eggs Healthier Than White Eggs?

Nope. Shell color has nothing to do with quality, nutrition, or taste. It’s purely based on the breed of the chicken.

Eggshells can be:

• White
• Brown
• Blue
• Green
• Speckled

White eggs are not bleached; they’re just laid by white-feathered hens, like White Leghorns.

Brown eggs are laid by breeds like Rhode Island Reds.

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🐣 Fun Tip:

Want to guess what color egg a hen will lay?

👉 Look at her earlobes!

• White earlobes = usually white eggs
• Red earlobes = usually brown eggs
• (There are exceptions, of course.)

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💬 Have More Questions About Eggs?

Drop a comment below—we’d love to hear from you and answer anything you’re still wondering!