Eggs are a highly nutritious food that are high in protein. In addition, if the chickens that lay the eggs are fed a free range diet, and allowed to forage for food, the eggs can also be a source if omega-3 essential fats. However, it is not often considered that eggs can be a good source of phytochemical antioxidants. Eggs yolks vary in colour, but are mostly yellow or orange or somewhere in between. This colour comes from the carotenoid content of the egg yolk. The exact amount of carotenoids can vary, depending on the diet of the chicken, and this is reflected in the final colour. Egg yolks are known to be rich in lutein and zeaxanthin, both of which possess a yellow to orange colour. Beta-carotene can also be present in the eggs. Carotenoids act as antioxidants in animals and therefore eggs are a good source of antioxidant carotenoids. Even without eating carotenoid containing plants, it is still possible to carotenoids simply by eating eggs, preferably from free range chicken.
The yellow colour of egg yolks comes from the presence of lutein, zeathanthin, beta-carotene and other carotenoids.
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