Emma Laing, clinical professor and director of dietetics in the College of Family and Consumer Sciences, spoke with Real Simple about the nutritional value of different eggs.
Some people claim that egg yolks with deep orange hues are nutritionally superior to the sunnier yellow ones, while others believe that the color difference will simply make your scrambled eggs look a bit brighter.
According to Laing, the former group isn’t exactly correct as a darker, more vibrant yolk usually reflects the hen’s diet, reflecting the composition of their feed, the color of plant pigments and the amount of different ingredients. Factors like age and health of the hen can also impact the color of the yolk.
“Hens that consume a high amount of carotenoids in their feed or eat a more varied diet through foraging can produce eggs that are higher in nutrients,” she said. “However, the color of the yolk will not always indicate this.”
For those who still want to select the healthiest eggs, there are other things to consider such as egg grade, size and omega-3 fatty acid enrichment. USDA quality standards place eggs in grades based on characteristics of the shell, yolk and the egg white. Eggs with a grade of AA or A indicate a higher quality. Opting for larger eggs could also be beneficial as the larger the eggs, the more nutrients will be packed into the shells.
Omega-3 fatty acids are an important addition to your diet. If your diet doesn’t include enough nuts and seafood, Liang suggests going for eggs that are enriched with them.
“Hens are able to produce eggs with a slightly higher omega-3 fatty acid content when they have been fed flaxseed, fish oils or algae,” she said. “However, the amount of omega-3 fatty acids in eggs is substantially lower than other sources, such as fish — mackerel, salmon, herring and anchovies — ground or milled flaxseed, edamame, chia seeds, canola oil and walnuts.”
