Brown or white?
Free-range or organic?
Selecting eggs at the grocery store may sometimes leave you scratching your head.
So which eggs are best for your health?
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"Despite the latest research and the 2020 Dietary Guidelines giving eggs a green light in healthy eating, conflicting info still swirls in the media and online," said Jess DeGore, a Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania-based registered dietitian and owner of DietitianJess.com.
"With claims and confusion surrounding various types, choosing the right egg can be a challenge for consumers who are seeking optimal health benefits," she also said.
Or, as registered dietitian nutritionist Bethany Thayer cleverly put it, "Scrambled information about eggs may have you wondering what shell to crack" to support your health.
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"Some people are under the impression that eggs with brown shells are nutritionally superior to those with white shells. This is not true," said Thayer, who is also the director of the Center for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention at Henry Ford Health in Detroit, Michigan.
"The color of the shell comes from the color of the hen."
"Hens with brown feathers and brown earlobes produce brown eggs and hens with white feathers and white earlobes produce eggs with white shells," she said, stressing there is no nutritional difference between the two.
You may be wondering what these terms on egg cartons have to do with eggs’ health properties, too.
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Thayer refers to these terms as a "marketing tool" and said they don’t necessarily impact the nutrition specs of the eggs.
"Cage-free means the hens live in an open barn with bedding material, perches and nest boxes to lay their eggs — while free-range is a term used to indicate that the hen has continuous, free access to the out-of-doors for over 51% of the animals’ lives — but [that] does not ensure that the animal actually went outdoors," said Thayer.
DeGore of Pittsburgh noted that terms such as "free-range" are not regulated, so there’s not a specified amount of time or type of outdoor setting that qualifies as free range.
"Some studies show that the microbiota (gut bacteria) differs between free-range and caged eggs," said DeGore.
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"Other studies have shown that free-range eggs also have a higher concentration of healthy fats and lower amounts of saturated fat."
As for organic?
Last but not least, "organic means that the hen was raised uncaged and was free to roam as well as fed [with] organic feed," said Thayer.
Echoing Thayer’s comments, DeGore shared that organic labels indicate that the hen’s food was grown without synthetic chemicals, antibiotics and growth hormones.
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"It does not indicate nutrition superiority." In fact, per Thayer, neither free-range, cage-free nor organic classification "impact the nutritional value of the egg," said Thayer.
You may be curious if an orange egg yolk is different nutritionally than a lighter yellow egg yolk.
"The nutritional value of the egg can only be influenced by the nutrition content of the feed itself," said Thayer.
"For example, the color of the yolk comes from the carotenoids in their feed. Adding more carotenoid-rich extracts to the feed can lead to a darker yolk, richer in carotenoids, an antioxidant."
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She went on, "Hens may also be fed nutritionally fortified feed with other specific ingredients that lead to eggs marketed with a particular nutrient content label. For example, they may be enriched with omega-3 fatty acids or extra vitamin D."
"Eggs are rich in cholesterol — about 200 mg of cholesterol per egg. And because of this, it is recommended to limit yourself to one egg per day," said Thayer.
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However, as Thayer highlighted, eggs also provide the benefits of protein, choline, biotin, vitamin A and D and the antioxidants known as lutein and zeaxanthin (the latter two of those nutrients support eye health).
As it turns out, there is no cut-and-dried answer in terms of which type of egg is best for your health.
"Most of the nutritional differences between different egg varieties are minimal, so I don’t think it’s a decision to stress over. Instead, choose what best fits your preferences," said DeGore.
"That being said, organic and free-range conditions may contribute to a better health profile," she said.
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DeGore stressed that no matter the egg you choose, you are still making a nutritious choice that provides protein, vitamins and minerals.
Whatever kind of eggs you buy, Thayer said to be sure to handle eggs safely.
"A contaminated hen can transmit salmonella to the inside of the egg, and salmonella can penetrate even the porous shell of the egg," said Thayer, adding that you should always wash your hands before and after handling eggs.
Be sure to promptly refrigerate eggs at 40°F or below after purchasing them.
Also, avoid storing them in the door of the refrigerator where temperatures are warmer, Thayer advised.
Throw out any cracked eggs, too, she added.
Ready to get sizzling?
"Cook eggs until the whites and yolks have solidified, and they reach an internal temperature of 160°F," said Thayer.
Also, keep in mind when hosting a brunch: "Don’t let cooked eggs or egg dishes sit at room temperature longer than two hours."
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