What Does Egg Yolk Color Actually Mean?

You’ve probably seen or eaten a “farm-fresh” egg, with a gorgeous orange yolk, and wondered why it looks so different from standard grocery store eggs. Does that orange yolk mean it was a free-range egg or that there’s something special about it? Does it make it more nutritious than regular eggs?

Turns out that egg yolk color is really just an indicator of the hen’s diet! If they eat more yellow-orange carotenoids, or natural pigments, it affects and changes the yolk’s color.

In fact, while artificial color additives are not allowed to be added to chicken feed, naturally pigmented substances like marigold flowers are sometimes added to feed to enhance yolk color.

As for the nutritional value of the yolks, darker, more colorful yolks have the same amount of protein and fat than lighter yolks. Some studies have shown, however, that eggs from pasture-raised hens can have more omega-3s and vitamins but less cholesterol due to healthier, more natural feed.

Despite the fact that there’s no real proof that egg yolk color is related to flavor, some people still claim they find darker yolks more flavorful. Any noticeable difference in flavor, though, is probably again due to the hen’s diet.

What do you think? Do eggs with darker yolks just taste better?

• Marketing the Perfectly Colored Egg Yolk
  
• Jane Says: Consider Where Your Eggs Are From, Not Their Color