Egg Fun Facts

The USDA egg grading system (AA, A, B) was established in 1970. It grades eggs on interior quality and shell appearance, not on safety or nutrition.

Source: USDA Agricultural Marketing Service

Egg tempera was the primary painting medium for European panel paintings before oil paint became dominant in the 15th century. Many Botticelli works use egg tempera.

Source: The Metropolitan Museum of Art — Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History

The first commercially produced mayonnaise in the United States was sold in 1905 at a delicatessen in Manhattan by Richard Hellmann.

Source: Hellmann's corporate history

The Egg Board's 'Incredible, Edible Egg' slogan debuted in 1977 and is one of the longest-running food marketing campaigns in U.S. history.

Source: American Egg Board

Eggs contain all nine essential amino acids, making them one of the most complete protein sources available in a single food.

Source: American Journal of Clinical Nutrition

The cholesterol in eggs (about 186mg per large egg) has less impact on blood cholesterol than previously thought. Dietary guidelines removed the 300mg daily cholesterol cap in 2015.

Source: 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans

One large egg contains about 147mg of choline, a nutrient essential for brain function. Most Americans don't get enough of it.

Source: USDA FoodData Central

Egg whites are about 90% water and 10% protein. The white of one large egg has only 17 calories.

Source: USDA FoodData Central

Lutein and zeaxanthin — two antioxidants found in egg yolks — help protect eyes from macular degeneration. Eggs are among the most bioavailable sources of both.

Source: Journal of Nutrition, 2006

Brown eggs and white eggs have virtually identical nutritional profiles. Shell color is determined by the breed of hen, not the diet.

Source: USDA, Egg Grading Manual

The tradition of egg tapping (hitting hard-boiled eggs together to see whose cracks first) is a competitive sport in parts of Europe, the Middle East, and the American South.

Source: Atlas Obscura — 'Egg Tapping Traditions Around the World'