What came first? Brown or white eggs

Have you ever wondered what the differences are between fresh brown eggs from the farm and those nice clean white eggs you buy at the supermarket? As people tune in to what they eat, this question comes up more than fleas on a raccoon dog.

The color of the shell is really a matter of personal preference, as the only difference is a little pigmentation (there are even chicken breeds that lay blue and green eggs!). For a small farm, it is more economical to raise dual-purpose breeds (one that is good at laying eggs and is also a good meat fowl). As it happens, most dual-purpose breeds lay brown eggs. Commercial egg farms are only interested in eggs, not meat, and the most prolific layers produce white eggs. So, as you see, the color of the peel has nothing to do with the nutritional value.

Two main things contribute to the health benefits of eggs. One is what goes into the hen before it creates the egg, and two, is how that egg is treated after it is laid.

If allowed to pierce by itself, a hen would eat an insect before a blade of grass. Chickens are omnivorous creatures by nature, yet large egg companies like to show off their “grain-fed” birds. They do it because, one, it sounds good and two, they sell their product because most people don’t know the difference, but you do the math. What would provide more nutrients: a variety in the diet or just “grains”? The proof is in the pan. Farm-fresh eggs have a much harder yolk and a thicker white.

Did you know that egg shells are porous? It’s true! Fortunately, they also naturally coat when laid, to prevent nasty critters like germs from entering the egg through the shell. This coating also contains antibodies to kill bacteria before they can also invade our egg. So that little egg enters this world with all the protection it needs. Why mess with that? Most farmers will clean or lightly rinse an egg when necessary, but washing would remove that layer. Not only do commercial farms wash their eggs (more than once, from what I heard), they apparently also soak the eggs in a chlorine bath 30 or more times, to make it nice and white. So, Oops! They have exposed the shell, so now they cover it with an artificial substance to protect it. I wonder what’s in that! If it’s so good for them, how come farm-fresh eggs will last 6 months or longer and store-bought eggs have an expiration date of 2-3 months?

Farm-fresh eggs have more flavor and are less likely to break the yolk during cooking due to the natural nutrients. If you have trouble making deviled eggs with farm bought eggs, simply boil the eggs for 24 hours before shelling them and the shells peel off easily. If you have too many eggs, just open them in a bowl, toss them with a fork, and add 1/2 teaspoon of salt for every 1 cup (250 ml) of egg, then place them in an ice cube tray and freeze the raw egg. One cube equals one egg in your recipe (don’t try to freeze store bought, this only works with fresh eggs).

Should small farmers be replaced by large commercial farms? Your opinion is expressed in your purchasing power. So what will it be? Farm fresh brown or factory white?

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