Which Egg Is Right for You?

By Natalie Moore Posted March 26, 2016

• Nutrition in all sizes
• Brown or white: putting the shell color myth to rest
• Are you skipping the most nutritious part of the egg? Find out…

Dear Reader,

Ahh, Easter time.

A time when chocolate bunnies, marshmallow chicks, jellybeans, and colored eggs invade the homes of many Americans.

But during this time of confectionary animals and sugar-loaded snacks, eggs (of bird origin, not the crème-filled type) maybe the only healthy food in sight this weekend.

And while all eggs are of high nutritional value, there are some differences among the bird varieties.

Today, just in time for Easter and the beginning of spring, Living Well Daily will breakdown the nutritional benefits of different types of eggs.

Let’s get started:

Quail Eggs

Because of their pleasant taste and bite-sizedness, quail eggs are becoming more and more popular. Quail eggs are found on the menus of all types of restaurants, from high-end gourmet to your local sushi joint.

Possibly the tiniest in size of commonly eaten eggs, these little shelled gems still pack a powerful nutritional punch at fraction of the calories (just 14) of other eggs. And like other types of eggs, quail eggs are full of amino acids, vitamins, and minerals. However, you may have to eat a few more to get a high dose of these, as they weigh only 0.3 ounces and have just 1.2 g of protein each.

Quail eggs also have more cholesterol than most eggs due to their yolk-to-white ratio. A serving of five quail eggs has about 380 milligrams.

Chicken Eggs

Chicken eggs are a refrigerator staple for most of us and a likely addition to a dessert recipe or the star of our breakfasts. But how much nutrition are really getting from the common chicken egg?

Turns out, a lot.

Chicken eggs are chock-full of zinc, potassium, and phosphorus. In addition, chicken eggs supply you with calcium and lots of vitamins, including Vitamin A, E, B1, B2, and D. In fact, chicken eggs are one of only a few foods considered to be a good source of vitamin D.

In addition, one chicken egg contains about 65 calories and 14 percent of your daily allowance for protein, as well as the eight basic amino acids your body needs to be healthy.

Though there is some controversy over which color chicken egg is more nutritious, there is no nutritional difference in the colors.

Nutritional value depends on other factors, which will get to in a bit.

A quail egg, chicken egg, and duck egg. Photo credit: NPR. org

Duck Eggs

While duck eggs were once at the top of the roost for many cultures, chicken eggs have all but replaced them.

One reason for this is salmonella. Duck egg shells are more porous than those of chicken eggs, which increases the chance of infection. However, duck eggs are perfectly safe for consumption as long as they are stored in a sanitary environment.

In some circles, duck eggs are considered the “Cadillac” of eggs when it comes to nutrition. Check out this chart below to see the nutritional differences between chicken eggs and duck eggs:

Table from paleoleap.com

Keep in mind that one reason for its increased nutrients is because of its size — duck eggs are about 30% larger than chicken eggs and 130 calories each.²

Hatch Your Plan

As you can see, all three eggs have something different to offer nutritionally. It’s up to you to make choose which one best meets your nutritional needs and is available in your area.

Chicken eggs aren’t hard to come by. However, you may have to visit a specialty store or farm stand to find quail and duck eggs.

Whichever egg you choose, be sure you’re buying free-range and organic eggs for optimal nutrition. This ensures the laying birds have access to the outdoors, where they can peck for insects and grubs, and access to organic supplemental feed free of pesticides, herbicides, and GMOs.³

And when you go to eat them, don’t skip the yolks. Yolk, of all varieties are a good source of micronutrients and omega-3s. Egg whites on the other hand, are just empty proteins with little added nutritional value. 

Natalie Moore
Managing editor, Living Well Daily

Sources

^[1] Different Types of Eggs and Their Nutritional Value

^[2] EAT THIS: DUCK EGGS

^[3] Best Eggs: Organic, Free-Range, or Conventional?

Written By Natalie Moore

Natalie Moore is a dedicated health researcher with a passion for finding healthy, natural, and science-based solutions. After a decade of direct healthcare experience in western and natural medicine, she was involved in public health research before joining Living Well Daily.

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