When you crack open an egg, you never know what you’re going to uncover. Everyone hopes that nothing unexpected will come out of it, but the color of the yolk is often overlooked when checking the contents of that just broken egg.
Sure, it should be yellowish, but are we paying enough attention to the color of our egg yolks? According to research, one small feature may disclose more than you believe!
The color of an egg’s yolk varies greatly depending on where it was produced. This isn’t a coincidence: the color of an egg yolk is a direct result of the nutrients supplied to the hen, and as a result, it will determine what you’re eating as well.
Pastured eggs – Type 1 The darker your yolk is, the more nutrients it contains. This is generally due to the healthier, more varied diet that free-range hens are offered, containing not only corn and grain but also the occasional bug and vegetable. Pastured eggs are the most nutritious of the three types.
Caged eggs – Type 2 A chicken diet of wheat and barley gives caged eggs a lighter color. It’s the least nutritious of the three types. Most eggs that are found in supermarkets come from factory farms, which tend to only feed their hens grain, heavily limiting their diet – and ours in turn. While not exactly harmful per se, these lighter yellow yolks are much less effective at delivering the nutrients you’re expecting to ingest.
Free-range eggs – Type 3 Free-range eggs are more nutritious than caged eggs. It comes from chickens with a diet of mostly grains and some insects. These are less nutritious than pastured eggs. Free-range eggs vs factory farm products.
The varied diets contain much more vitamin A, which is excellent for bone and eye strength; vitamin E, which promotes circulation and prevents oxidation; and omega-3 fatty acids, which can lower cholesterol and blood pressure.
Better yet, free-range eggs also contain a lot less saturated fat and cholesterol than factory farm eggs, making them better in every way — except perhaps price. A worthy expense, wouldn’t you say? Share this with your friends to let them know about the benefits of darker, straight-from-the-farm eggs!