SHOP OUR A2/A2 GRASS FED RAW DAIRY!🥛

Finally, egg test results are in! Guess what? Yolk color does not matter.

written by

Marie Reedell

posted on

December 20, 2024

soy-free-eggs-15-dozen.jpg

Exciting news --- we've been waiting for months and just got our egg test results in!!! 

Keep reading for the reasoning behind the tests and a little analysis of what the results mean. Want to skip straight to the hard data from the lab? Click here. 

A Quick Recap Explaining Why We Tested Eggs.

Earlier this year, we lost trust in the feed supplier for our laying hens. Even though they said the feed was corn & soy free, something wasn't adding up (you can read more details about the drama here). So, we switched.

At that time, we made the choice to NOT include any colorants in the feed, even natural ones like marigold and paprika (you can read about every single ingredient in our new feed here). Despite having the same new feed and the same pastured living conditions, some flocks produced orange yolks and some produced yellow yolks.

This led to a lot of customer confusion. I mean, aren't pastured egg yolks supposed to be orange? Isn't that how you know an egg has max nutrition? That's what I thought, too. 

I knew we needed to verify some things. So, we bit the bullet and paid for lab testing. 

We sent 5 different egg samples to Dr. Stephan Van Vliet, PhD. He's the Director of Food Metabolomics Lab at the University of Utah. And, he's the same guy who tested our chicken (without us knowing) and found that our chicken had the perfect 1:1 omega 6/3 ratio, which is basically unheard of even with pastured corn & soy free chicken.

The 5 Egg Samples We Tested.

Here's what we sent to Dr. Van Vliet. All eggs were from late spring, when pastures are growing. We are choosing to keep the other egg brands’ names private. Here’s some info about each sample provided.

Millers-Yellow-Yolk-Eggs.jpg
1- Miller’s Bio Farm (Yellow Yolks)
  • Pasture raised in mobile coops moved regularly to fresh pasture
  • Raised on regeneratively tended pastures
  • Corn & soy free

.

Millers-Orange-Yolk-Eggs.jpg
2- Miller’s Bio Farm (Orange Yolks)
  • Pasture raised in mobile coops moved regularly to fresh pasture
  • Raised on regeneratively tended pastures
  • Corn & soy free

.

National-Brand-Regenerative-Eggs.jpg
3- National Brand Regenerative Eggs

(the most expensive you can buy in the supermarket)

Brand Claims:

  • Pasture raised; freedom to forage outdoors year round; 108 ft2 per hen
  • Regenerative
  • Certified Organic
  • Certified Humane

.

Local-Corn-Soy-Free-Competitor-Eggs.jpg
4- Local Pasture Raised Competitor

(using our OLD corn & soy free feed supplier)

Brand Claims:

  • Pasture raised
  • Free range
  • Regenerative
  • Corn & soy free 

.

National-Brand-Conventional-Eggs.jpg
5- National Brand Conventional Eggs

(the cheapest you can buy in the supermarket)

Brand Claims:

  • Excellent source of vitamins D, E, B2, B12, and B5
  • 140mg omega-3
  • 25% less saturated fat
  • Vegetarian fed

.

The 4 Most Important Results.

There were 100+ tests done on the egg samples. That's a lot of data! I wanted to make it a little easier for you to digest. 

So, after reviewing everything and having a conversation with Dr. Van Vliet, these are what I think are the 4 most important findings.

1- Yolk Color Does NOT Matter. The Feed And Farming Practices Are Most Important.

Egg-Test-Results-Yolk-Color-Does-NOT-Matter.png

That's right. As I scrolled through the 100+ tests done on the eggs, the orange and yellow yolks consistently had very similar results.

With the exception of a couple vitamins (which technically make the yellow yolk eggs slightly more nutritious than the orange yolk eggs), the nutritional content of our orange and yellow yolk eggs was exactly the same. Wow.

Most notably, the yellow yolk eggs had significantly higher Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) compared to the orange yolk eggs. Vitamin B2 is a yellow colored compound, and Dr. Van Vliet thinks this extra pigment might be why those yolks are yellow.

From this point forward, we're calling our eggs "honest yolk" eggs. After all, nearly every egg farmer nowadays adds color to the feed. And it's kinda a sad thing, since the farmer then loses an important indicator for what the hens are foraging for.

For example, the farmer that had the flock producing yellow yolks noticed that the chickens weren't as interested in the pasture. Maybe it was the plants that were growing. Maybe it was the soil. Maybe it was the nature of those birds. He doesn't know for sure. But, with one change at a time, he can slowly figure out how to get the hens to eat more greens. Without the "honest yolk" that wouldn't really be possible.

2- Our Eggs Had The Best Omega 6/3 Ratio At 4:1.

Omega-6-3-Ratio-Egg-Test-Results.png

Our eggs had the best omega 6/3 ratio at 4:1 (and we're already chatting about how to get it even lower!). And, the eggs fed from our old feed supplier had the worst ratio at 12:1.

Me oh my we made the right choice to switch feed suppliers!!! There must be something in the old feed (maybe soy or corn oil like we thought there might be) that's bringing that ratio waaaay up.

I mean, isn't corn & soy free feed supposed to lower that ratio? Corn has a 25:1-60:1 ratio. Soy has a 8:1-9:1 ratio. At the very least, it should be lower than the national conventional brand, whose hens are definitely eating corn and soy.

For a little reference, humans should eat a 1:1-4:1 omega 6/3 ratio for optimal health. But the conventional Western diet typically provides a 20:1 ratio. Having too many omega 6s compared to 3s can lead to a host of issues including inflammation, heart disease, diabetes, obesity, arthritis, asthma, depression, fatigue... the list goes on and on. I mean, this is just one reason Americans are overall in poor health.

3- Our Eggs Had The Lowest PUFA Content.

Total-PUFAs-Test-Results.png

When PUFAs are consumed in excess (like the conventional Western diet gives you), it can have some awful health impacts. It can suppress thyroid function, lead to inflammation, cause oxidative stress, and result in a variety of diseases. You can learn a lot more in the PUFA predicament blog post.

This is why a lot of our customers are looking to reduce their PUFA intake. And it's a reason many come to us. Since seed oils are a big contributor to high PUFAs, animal-based eating is a good way to lower PUFAs. And especially when animals are 100% grass-fed and not fed corn and soy like our animals, you can get those numbers even lower.

I was excited to see the test results verify the impacts of our farming practices and feed choices. We have the lowest PUFA eggs amongst the ones we tested.

4- Our Eggs Had The Highest Vitamin Content.

Total-Vitamins-Test-Results.png

When you look at the individual results for each vitamin, the results were kinda all over the place. But, when you add up all the numbers, Miller's Bio Farm's eggs came out on top!

This is especially exceptional because the conventional eggs boasted having high amounts of certain vitamins... and they sure did hold true to those promises. This means they are heavily supplementing their birds. It's incredible that we beat them without oversupplementation!

All Of The Data Is Available To You.

We are giving you access to EVERYTHING. There are 100+ test results. After all, you deserve to know everything about what you put into your body. The data is available in two formats:

Egg-Test-Results-Spreadsheet.jpg

A spreadsheet with all of the raw data. It's divided by tabs for fatty acids, minerals, antioxidants, and vitamins (view spreadheet data here).

Egg-Test-Results-PDF.jpg

A 30-page pdf that summarizes notable data (not all of it). It has lots of nice charts for easy comparisons (view pdf data here).

What do you think about the results? What's the #1 data point you look for when it comes to eggs?

I'd love to hear from you. Comment below - no account required, start typing for the guest option to appear 😊

More from the blog

From farm to fork: Understanding the value of sustainable pork

From farm to fork: Understanding the value of sustainable pork

Raising Pork the Old-Fashioned Way: Miller's Bio Farm's Commitment to Quality At Miller's Bio Farm, we're not trying to reinvent the wheel, we're bringing back the farming practices that sustained communities for generations. As an Amish farm, we understand that good stewardship of the land and animals isn't just about business; it's about honoring creation and providing wholesome food for families. When you buy pork from us, you're getting more than just meat. You're getting the result of careful, intentional farming that puts the well-being of our animals, our land, and your family first. Let's be honest: most grocery store pork comes wrapped in pretty words like "natural" and "humanely raised," but these labels often don't mean much. It's easy to put nice words on a package, much harder to actually do the work of raising animals properly. We'd like to show you how we do things differently here at Miller's Bio Farm. What Makes Our Pork Different Good pork starts with good practices. For us, that means healthy soil, happy animals, responsible harvesting, and thoughtful management of everything that happens on our farm. Here's what that looks like in practice: Pasture-Raised the Way Nature Intended Pigs aren't meant to spend their lives standing on concrete in windowless buildings. They're curious, intelligent animals that need fresh air, sunshine, and room to express their natural behaviors, rooting in the dirt, foraging for food, and socializing with other pigs. On our farm, hogs live outdoors on pasture in the woods where they can do exactly that. We move them regularly to fresh ground, which keeps them healthy and gives the land time to rest and regenerate. This practice, sometimes called rotational grazing is farming wisdom that's been passed down for centuries. When pigs root and forage on fresh pasture, they're naturally fertilizing the soil and helping plants grow back stronger. The land becomes more fertile season after season, storing carbon and building topsoil instead of depleting it. No chemical fertilizers needed, just pigs doing what pigs do best. This kind of farming takes more work than confining animals in one place, but it produces better results for everyone involved: healthier pigs, healthier land, and better tasting pork. Raising Animals with Respect Our approach to animal care reflects our values as an Amish farming community. We believe animals deserve to be treated with dignity and respect throughout their lives. Processing with Care When harvest time comes, we work with a small processor who shares our commitment to humane treatment. Our animals are handled calmly and respectfully, with immediate stunning to ensure they feel no distress. This isn't just the right thing to do, it also affects meat quality. Animals that are stressed at slaughter produce tougher, less flavorful meat. Properly handled animals yield tender, delicious pork that you can taste the difference in. Studies also confirm what traditional farmers have long known: animals raised on pasture produce meat with better nutritional profiles, including higher omega-3 fatty acids and more vitamins. Wholesome Feed, No Shortcuts We raise heritage breed pigs, traditional breeds known for their hardiness and flavor. These animals thrive on pasture with supplemental non-GMO grain, and they don't need antibiotics or growth hormones to stay healthy. In industrial pork production, antibiotics are mixed into feed daily to prevent disease in overcrowded conditions. This practice is creating drug-resistant bacteria that threaten public health, a problem we don't contribute to. Our pigs build strong immune systems naturally through good nutrition, clean living conditions, and low-stress environments. It's the way farming worked for centuries before shortcuts became the norm. Caring for God's Creation As stewards of the land, we take seriously our responsibility to leave it better than we found it. That's not just good farming, it's part of our calling. Building Soil, Not Destroying It Industrial agriculture depletes soil through intensive tilling, chemical dependence, and continuous monoculture cropping. This approach might boost short-term production, but it's not sustainable. We farm differently. Our rotational grazing actually improves soil health year after year. As pigs move across pasture, they naturally incorporate organic matter into the ground. Rest periods allow plants to regrow with deeper roots, which prevents erosion and captures carbon from the atmosphere. The result is living, fertile soil teeming with beneficial microorganisms soil that produces nutritious forage without synthetic inputs. Handling Waste Responsibly Large scale pig operations often store waste in enormous lagoons that leak pollutants into water supplies and release harmful gases into the air. These systems create environmental and health problems for surrounding communities. Our approach couldn't be more different. Because our pigs are spread across pasture and woodlands in manageable groups, their manure distributes naturally as valuable fertilizer rather than concentrating into a waste problem. When winter weather requires us to bring pigs into shelter, we bed them deeply with straw or wood shavings. This creates a composting effect that safely breaks down manure without environmental contamination. We also plant diverse pasture species specifically chosen to absorb nutrients and maintain ecological balance. Not all pigs like to go in the open shelter in the winter time and that's perfectly fine with us! The Real Story Behind Your Pork Chop Many people wonder which type of meat is most environmentally friendly. The truth is, it's not so much about whether you're eating pork, beef, or chicken, it's about how that animal was raised. Take beef as an example. You've probably heard that cattle are terrible for the environment. That criticism applies to feedlot operations where thousands of cattle are confined in small spaces and fed grain-heavy diets. But cattle raised properly on well managed pasture actually improve the land and sequester carbon. The animal itself isn't the problem; the farming method is. The same principle applies to pork. Factory farmed pork has serious environmental and ethical problems. Pasture raised pork from a regenerative farm like ours is a completely different product. One challenge specific to pork is that pigs need grain as part of their diet, they can't survive on grass alone like cattle can. This means sustainable pork production requires access to sustainably grown grain, ideally non-GMO corn and soybeans from farmers practicing regenerative agriculture. On our farm, we're committed to sourcing feed from responsible growers who share our values of soil health, biodiversity, and chemical free farming. What You're Really Buying When you purchase pork from Miller's Bio Farm, you're not just buying bacon or pork chops. You're supporting a way of farming that's been proven over generations, one that respects animals, regenerates land, and produces genuinely nutritious food. We're proud to raise pork the right way, even though it's more work. Because at the end of the day, that's what good stewardship looks like. And that's something worth bringing home to your table. Check out our: ✔️Corn & Soy Free ✔️ Vaccine, Drug, GMO-Free ✔️Heritage Breeds ✔️Woodland Raised PORK COLLECTION HERE: https://millersbiofarm.com/sto...

Read more
Eggnog's Medieval Magic

Eggnog's Medieval Magic

Well now, friends, let me tell you about eggnog - it's no yolk, this drink has been around forever! While history scholars are still whisking through different stories, most agree it sprouted from a Medieval drink called posset. Posset was hot milk curdled with wine or beer, served in a two-handled pot when folks caught the sniffles. Yup, that's right, I said sniffles. The warmth would settle your bones, the milk kept your strength up better than a day of plowing, and the alcohol and spices worked like nature's own medicine chest. Posset recipes were as varied as quilting patterns, every homestead had their own way to make it, and from this patchwork of kitchen wisdom grew a whole crop of milk based treasures, including... eggnog itself. Eggnog is a rich, chilled, sweet dairy drink that'll make you smile like you just finished morning milking. It's made with milk, cream, sugar, egg yolks, and spices, simple as that! Most folks only raise a glass during a short spell around Christmas. It was those fancy British folks in the 1700s who turned eggnog into a holiday tradition. They'd add expensive spirits and spices to milk to preserve it through winter (yep, aged eggnog, just like preserving pickles in the cellar). Eventually, eggnog crossed the ocean to the Thirteen Colonies. As times changed and food became easier to come by, common folk adopted it as a cherished holiday drink. Today, food is everywhere you look, but finding the right kind is harder than finding a needle in a haystack. Store-bought eggnog is stacked in every store, but I won't hitch my wagon to it. Store-bought eggnog is cooked up in factories to taste good and stay the same every time. But it's packed with additives, loaded with more sugar than a honey wagon, and has less than 2% egg yolks. Might as well call it milknog! And don't get me started on all that pasteurization business. If you've got the time, eggnog is easier than feeding chickens. Here's what you need: 4 egg yolks (fresh from the henhouse) ⅓ cup maple syrup (the real stuff, tapped honest) 2 cups raw milk (straight from Bessie, if you're blessed) 1 cup raw cream 1 tsp nutmeg (or whatever spices suit your fancy) 3 oz bourbon or rum (if you're of a mind to) You can mix these ingredients raw (like we do on the farm) or you can warm it up. Your barn, your rules. For a fuller eggnog, beat those yolks until they lighten like sunrise. Then fold in the rest. For a frothy eggnog that'll make you grin like a cat in the creamery, beat 4 egg whites until soft peaks form, then stir them into your finished batch. I highly recommend doing this whether you bought it from a farm stand or made it yourself. It's wonderful. So please, enjoy your eggnog this winter season. When you raise your glass, think on what you're celebrating. Toast to home remedies, good health, the wisdom of those who came before us, and honest food that comes from the land.

Read more
From Grass To Glow: Tallow Skin Care

From Grass To Glow: Tallow Skin Care

Tallow might sound old-school, but this grass-fed goodness is pure skin food. Packed with vitamins A, D, E & K plus CLA, it mimics your skin’s natural fats for maximum absorption. The result? Happy, nourished, glowing skin, without the chemicals

Read more
Return To Top


Do

Learn

Uphold

Connect


OUR MISSION is to be an amazing and reliable source for farm direct, nutrient dense food.

OUR VISION is to end sickness by enhancing health, nutrition, and happiness.

OUR PURPOSE is to inspire a generation of healthy children and reduce healthcare costs.


Miller's Bio Farm, 523 Valley Road, Quarryville, PA 17566 

 Contact us. Send a note to hello@millersbiofarm.com. Call us at (717) 786-7895.

 Copyright © 2023 Miller’s Bio Farm • Payments secured by Stripe 


Powered by Stripe
Privacy Policy