Eggs are a nutrient-rich food that provides several key nutrients.
But when you come to the egg section, you may see a few egg products with ‘omega-3-enriched’ on the label. Most people know omega-3 is good for our health, so are omega-3-enriched eggs a healthier choice?
This article examines the characteristics and potential benefits of omega-3-enriched eggs, how they compare with regular eggs, and whether they’re worth including in your diet.
Table of contents
- What Are Omega-3 Eggs?
- How Much Omega-3 Do Omega-3-Enriched Eggs Contain?
- Look For Eggs With Higher Amounts of EPA and DHA
- How Do Omega-3 Eggs Compare to Regular Eggs?
- How Do Omega-3-Enriched Eggs Compare to Oily Fish For Omega-3 Content?
- Is It Worth Paying More For Omega-3-Enriched Eggs, and Are They a Good Choice?
What Are Omega-3 Eggs?
We all probably know that eggs are a good source of numerous essential nutrients, but where do omega-3 eggs stand?
First of all, omega-3-enriched eggs are eggs developed to have a higher content of the omega-3 fatty acids EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid).
EPA and DHA are the most bioavailable forms of omega-3, which we can also find in oily fish (1).
There are two common ways for eggs to be ‘fortified’ with EPA and DHA:
- One way is to feed hens a diet high in alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), an omega-3 fatty acid that converts to EPA and DHA in the body. The most common feed item that’s a source of ALA is flaxseed; feeding hens flaxseed results in higher concentrations of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) in the egg yolks (2).
- An alternate way of boosting the omega-3 content of eggs is by supplementing fish oil in the hens’ diets, which contains DHA (3).
However, a wide range of supplementary foods have been used to successfully increase the omega-3 content of eggs. These have included algal oils, canola, chia seeds, fish extracts, microalgae, and sunflower seeds (4, 5, 6, 7, 8).
While omega-3-enriched eggs provide significantly more omega-3 than regular eggs, the precise total can vary between brands.
Key point: Omega-3-enriched eggs are eggs from hens that have had their feed supplemented with omega-3. This results in a higher content of EPA and DHA—the most bioavailable forms of omega-3 fatty acids—in the egg yolk.
How Much Omega-3 Do Omega-3-Enriched Eggs Contain?
Based on nutritional information from some of the biggest brands, a typical omega-3-enriched large egg can contain between 115 mg and 250 mg of EPA and DHA.
For comparative purposes, according to USDA data, a large regular egg provides 5 mg of omega-3 (9).
A large egg weighs approximately 50 grams.
The table below shows how the omega-3 content of a large omega-3-enriched egg varies by brand (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15).
| Brand | Omega-3 Content Per Large Egg |
|---|---|
| 4 Grain Omega-3 Eggs | 115 mg |
| Clover Sonoma Organic Omega-3 Eggs | 180 mg |
| Eggland’s Best Eggs | 125 mg |
| Gold Circle Farms | 150 mg |
| Nature’s Yoke Omega-3 Free-Range Eggs | 225 mg |
| Smart Balance Omega-3 Eggs | 250 mg |
As you can see in the above table, there is no real consistent standard for omega-3 content, and the total omega-3 provision varies depending on the brand.
This is because the amount of omega-3 found in eggs is largely influenced by the feed provided to the hens.
The EPA and DHA content may vary between brands.
Key point: Based on nutritional information from several popular brands, the omega-3 content of an omega-3-enriched large egg ranges from 115 mg to 250 mg.
Look For Eggs With Higher Amounts of EPA and DHA
Since alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) is a precursor to the omega-3 fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), our body needs to convert ALA to EPA and DHA before we can use it.
Given this, it’s important to note that research shows the conversion rate of ALA into EPA and DHA is low and varies by both age and sex (16):
- In healthy young men, only 0–4% of ALA was converted to DHA, and up to 8% was converted to EPA.
- In healthy young women, these figures were a slightly higher 9% for DHA, and 21% for EPA.
In other words, we cannot use most of the ALA we consume, making it a poor source of omega-3 compared to preformed EPA and DHA. Unlike EPA and DHA, ALA does not increase the omega-3 index—a measure of the amount of omega-3 in the blood (17, 18).
The takeaway?
If you’re planning on buying omega-3 eggs, look for eggs with high EPA and DHA content. You should be able to see these values listed on the packaging.
Key point: ALA, EPA, and DHA are all types of omega-3. However, EPA and DHA are preformed and ready to use by the body, and they increase the amount of omega-3 in the blood significantly more than ALA.
How Do Omega-3 Eggs Compare to Regular Eggs?
There are many different types of eggs, and their nutritional values can vary depending upon the size and specific variety. For instance, there is a difference between regular chicken eggs and quail eggs.
See this guide to different types of eggs for more information.
Despite this, eggs enriched with omega-3 tend to provide significantly higher levels of omega-3 fatty acids than other egg varieties.
But does this translate into confirmed health benefits for people consuming omega-3-enriched eggs?
Let’s take a look at what scientific research has uncovered.
Studies on the Health Benefits of Omega-3 Eggs
There have been numerous studies on omega-3-enriched eggs in the context of their benefits for human health.
Here is an overview of what the research shows regarding their potential health benefits.
Impact on Health Markers
In a crossover study, 20 participants consumed either no eggs, omega-3 eggs, or regular eggs. Compared to the effect of regular eggs, participants consuming omega-3 eggs experienced (19):
- Reduced total cholesterol levels
- A decrease in triglycerides
- Lower blood pressure levels
Lower levels of these health markers are linked to a decreased risk of cardiovascular disease (20, 21).
161 healthy adults were allocated to consume either three omega-3-enriched eggs per week, three servings of omega-3-enriched chicken meat per week, three omega-3-enriched eggs and three servings of omega-3-enriched chicken meat per week, or control diets for six months in a randomized controlled trial (22).
In this study, both the omega-3-enriched eggs and omega-3-enriched chicken increased the participants’ omega-3 index, but consuming both foods led to the most significant change, with the omega-3 index rising 1.7%.
The omega-3 index is a measure of the amount of omega-3 in red blood cells; higher levels are associated with benefit, while lower levels (an omega-3 index of <4%) are strongly linked with higher cardiovascular risk (23).
Several further studies have demonstrated that, compared to regular eggs, omega-3-enriched eggs may:
- Decrease cardiovascular risk markers including triglycerides, Apolipoprotein B (ApoB), and blood pressure (24, 25, 26).
- Lower oxidative stress, a condition characterized by an excessive amount of free radicals compared to antioxidants in the body. High oxidative stress levels can cause damage to cells, and may increase the long-term risk of chronic disease (27, 28).
- Increase blood levels of omega-3 and lower markers related to inflammation (29, 30).
Key point: Compared to regular eggs, omega-3-enriched eggs may potentially decrease cardiovascular risk by lowering key risk factors such as blood pressure, cholesterol, triglycerides, and oxidative stress.
How Do Omega-3-Enriched Eggs Compare to Oily Fish For Omega-3 Content?
If we are specifically looking to increase the amount of omega-3 in our diet, are enriched eggs the best option? Since oily fish is the most widely recognized source of omega-3 fatty acids, let’s see how it compares.
Earlier in this article, we saw the typical omega-3 per large egg values for several different omega-3-enriched egg products.
In the table below, you can see how these values compare to several varieties of oily fish based on USDA data (31, 32, 33, 34, 35).
| Type of food | Omega-3 Content |
|---|---|
| Herring, Pacific, cooked, per 144 g fillet | 3,482 mg |
| Mackerel, Atlantic, cooked, per 88 g fillet | 1,251 mg |
| Salmon, pink, cooked, per 124 g half-fillet | 905 mg |
| Sardines, canned in oil, per 92 g can | 1,361 mg |
| Trout, rainbow, farmed, cooked, per 71 g fillet | 755 mg |
| Omega-3-enriched eggs | 115–250 mg per large egg |
As shown above, even relatively small amounts of oily fish provide a more significant source of omega-3 than fortified eggs.
For this reason, for those who consume seafood, we should ideally emphasize oily fish if we’re striving to increase dietary omega-3 intake.
Furthermore, the omega-3 fatty acids in fish are DHA and EPA, the most bioavailable forms of omega-3.
That said, for vegetarians and individuals who don’t like seafood, omega-3-enriched eggs are still one of the best options. Algae oil supplements rich in EPA and DHA may also be beneficial for these groups.
Key point: While enriched eggs offer a reasonably good source of omega-3, oily fish provides it in significantly higher amounts.
Is It Worth Paying More For Omega-3-Enriched Eggs, and Are They a Good Choice?
One last factor that we should consider is the relative cost of omega-3-enriched eggs, which are priced at a premium over regular eggs.
If cost is not an issue, then omega-3-enriched eggs may be a worthwhile buy for individuals seeking to increase their omega-3 intake. However, continuing to consume regular eggs but adding oily fish to the diet would provide a substantially greater boost in this regard.
For people who already consume oily fish and regular eggs, choosing eggs enriched with omega-3 would further increase dietary omega-3 intake.
In this context, whether they are worth the extra cost is a decision for the individual. If absolute omega-3 intake is the goal, then they are probably a good choice for egg consumers.
