Brown eggs are no different from white eggs—they’re just from different breeds of hens. They’re slightly more expensive because brown egg-layers are bigger birds and require more food.
Fertile eggs come from hens who have been allowed more freedom of movement, including consorting with roosters. They have the same nutritional lineup as nonfertile eggs, but they require special handling because they don’t keep as well—which makes them more expensive.
Free-range eggs come from hens raised outdoors or with regular access to the outdoors. The term may also refer to eggs from hens raised indoors but without cages.
Omega-3 eggs come from hens that are fed a special diet containing flaxseed or marine algae, rich in beneficial omega-3 fatty acids. An omega-3 egg can provide 33 percent more omega-3 fatty acids than a regular egg. The total fat and cholesterol content per egg remain about the same.
Organic eggs come from hens fed only organic grains and raised without hormones, antibiotics, or other drugs.
