When it comes to buying eggs, many people opt for store-bought eggs that have been sitting on shelves for weeks… or even months. However, these eggs may not have the same nutritional value as fresh eggs.
Fresh eggs, coming straight from the farm, have not been sitting in storage for long periods of time. They are often laid by chickens that have been raised on a diet of natural grains and have been given access to the outdoors. This leads to eggs that are not only fresher but also more nutritious — rich in protein, vitamins, and minerals that are essential for maintaining good health.
One of the most obvious differences people look for between fresh eggs and store-bought eggs is the color of the yolk.
The carotenoids that cause deeper yolk coloring are xanthophylls, which are more readily absorbed in the yolks. (Lutein is one such xanthophyll, and more lutein = more orange.) Xanthophylls are found in dark leafy greens like spinach, kale, and collards, as well as in zucchini, broccoli, and brussels sprouts.
It’s easy to “dye” the color of a yolk, according to Santa Fe, New Mexico farmer, Matt Romero. He is known for his mesmerizing flame-colored egg yolks, which he gets by simply feeding his hens leftover red chile peppers from his farm.
Other farmers get darker yolks by feeding their flocks marigold petals (which can produce deep yellow yolks) Our girls LOVE them! Or… by using synthetic chemicals like Rovimix Carophyll Yellow, Canthaxanthin, Xanthophyll B, and Lucantin Red to achieve the dark yolks they think their consumers prefer. THIS is why you should be leery of cheap eggs from the grocer whose yolks are orange.
When it comes to buying eggs, many people opt for store-bought eggs that have been sitting on shelves for weeks… or even months. However, these eggs may not have the same nutritional value as fresh eggs.
Fresh eggs, coming straight from the farm, have not been sitting in storage for long periods of time. They are often laid by chickens that have been raised on a diet of natural grains and have been given access to the outdoors. This leads to eggs that are not only fresher but also more nutritious — rich in protein, vitamins, and minerals that are essential for maintaining good health.
One of the most obvious differences people look for between fresh eggs and store-bought eggs is the color of the yolk.
The carotenoids that cause deeper yolk coloring are xanthophylls, which are more readily absorbed in the yolks. (Lutein is one such xanthophyll, and more lutein = more orange.) Xanthophylls are found in dark leafy greens like spinach, kale, and collards, as well as in zucchini, broccoli, and brussels sprouts.
It’s easy to “dye” the color of a yolk, according to Santa Fe, New Mexico farmer, Matt Romero. He is known for his mesmerizing flame-colored egg yolks, which he gets by simply feeding his hens leftover red chile peppers from his farm.
Other farmers get darker yolks by feeding their flocks marigold petals (which can produce deep yellow yolks) Our girls LOVE them! Or… by using synthetic chemicals like Rovimix Carophyll Yellow, Canthaxanthin, Xanthophyll B, and Lucantin Red to achieve the dark yolks they think their consumers prefer. THIS is why you should be leery of cheap eggs from the grocer whose yolks are orange.
| Yolk Color | Ingredients |
|---|---|
| Nearly colorless | White cornmeal |
| Light yellow | Wheat, barley |
| Medium yellow | Yellow cornmeal, alfalfa meal |
| Dark yellow | Marigolds, leafy greens, alfalfa |
| Orange to red | Pumpkins, tomatoes, red peppers |
For more nutritious eggs:
1. If possible, let your chickens free-range.
Let your ladies roam a pasture, if possible. They like to scratch through leaf piles and layers of mulch where grubs and earwigs often hide. If you’re unable to, due to a predator issue like us, bring the outdoors to them! I also bring them piles of leaves, mixed with dried grubs in them. It’s so fun to watch them forage!
2. Feed your chickens lots of leafy greens.
Give your chickens plenty of fresh greens to increase the lutein in their yolks. The darker the greens, the better!
I bring our girls a huge daily “salad” of greens from the property. I also make them a feast of kale, mustard greens, broccoli leaves, or whatever we happen to have growing in the garden. We also offer our girls kelp for an additional nutrition boost.
We don’t have a lot of table scraps, so we also buy them melons and blueberries when the garden supply is low. Our girls are spoiled, we know. ha!
3. Chickens are great at garden clean-up.
Your girls can be very handy helpers at the end of the season when most of your plants have bolted and become aphid-ridden. Let the chickens clean up those plants before you toss them into the compost. It’s a win for everybody! (Except the bugs, that is…)
Chickens are not meant to be vegetarian.
Did you know? No matter what your expensive carton of organic/grain-fed/cage-free eggs tells you, chickens are omnivores by nature and their healthiest diets include protein — such as: mealworms, grasshoppers, beetles, grubs, and whatever they can pull out of the ground. Shocking, I know. Our hens are currently in a secure run, but anything that can get through their hardware cloth is fair game, including small rodents and snakes!! I will even open a can (or two) of sardines, tuna, or chicken for our girls. They LOVE it!
Generally speaking…
fresh eggs have a bright orange yolk and firm whites, while store-bought eggs often have a pale yellow yolk and runnier whites. This is because fresh eggs typically come from chickens that are not given hormones or antibiotics and have been given access to the outdoors, leading to a more varied diet.
In addition to being more nutritious, fresh eggs also taste better than store-bought eggs. They have a more robust flavor and a creamier texture, making them perfect for cooking and baking.
Chickens whose diets are rich in leafy greens, flowers, seeds, weeds, and meat lay eggs with naturally darker yolks. The xanthophylls, omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins, and minerals in these food sources are then passed on to their eggs and concentrated in their yolks.
Research has shown that of all the nutrition found in eggs, most of it is found in egg yolks, including fat-soluble vitamins like D, E, K, and A (none of which you get from egg whites), essential fatty acids like DHA and ALA, and other nutrients like calcium, iron, magnesium, zinc, choline, and B vitamins.
Try to find a local farm or farmer’s market near you and give fresh eggs a try! Or maybe you’re feeling brave enough to start a small flock of hens in your own backyard.