Darn, I didn't guess right!

Sometimes, there's no telling what you'll find when you crack open an egg. It's everyone's general hope that nothing unusual will come out of it, but one thing that's often ignored when inspecting the contents of that freshly cracked egg is the color of the yolk.

Sure, it's supposed to be yellowish, but are we paying enough attention to just how yellow our egg yolks are? Findings indicate this detail may reveal more than you think.

The color of an egg's yolk will often vary based on where it came from. This isn't a coincidence: An egg yolk's color is a direct consequence of the nutrients that the hen was fed, and as such, will dictate just what it is you're consuming too. 

The darker your yolk is, the more nutrients it contains. This is generally due to the healthier, more varied diet that free-range hens are offered, containing not only corn and grain but also the occasional bug and vegetable. Pastured eggs are the most nutritious of the three types.

A chicken diet of wheat and barley gives caged eggs its lighter color. It's the least nutritious of the three types.

Most eggs that are found in supermarkets come from factory farms, which tend to only feed their hens grain, heavily limiting their diet – and ours in turn. While not exactly harmful per se, these lighter yellow yolks are much less effective at delivering the nutrients you're expecting to ingest.

Free range eggs are more nutritious than caged eggs. It comes from chickens with a diet of mostly grains and some insects. These are less nutritious than pastured eggs.

The varied diets contain much more vitamin A, which is excellent for bone and eye strength; vitamin E, which promotes circulation and prevents oxidation; and omega-3 fatty acids, which can lower cholesterol and blood pressure. Better yet, free-range eggs also contain a lot less saturated fat and cholesterol than factory farm eggs, making them better in every way — except perhaps price. A worthy expense, wouldn't you say?

Share this with your friends to let them know about the benefits of darker, straight-from-the-farm eggs!