Is Eggland's Best Pasture-Raised Like Vital Farms? Some Are

Vital Farms Pasture-Raised Large eggs and Eggland's Best Classic Large White eggs list different values per egg. Vital Farms lists 70 calories and 185 mg cholesterol, while Eggland's Best lists 60 calories and 170 mg cholesterol, and only Eggland's Best lists vitamin D and vitamin E values on its label. USDA requires grademarked eggs labeled pasture-raised to carry a third-party certification, because no single federal definition exists for the term.

Key takeaways

• USDA AMS requires grademarked eggs labeled pasture-raised to carry a nationally recognized third-party certification, because no single legal definition exists for pasture-raised laying hens.
• Per large egg, Vital Farms lists 70 Calories and 185 mg cholesterol, while Eggland's Best Classic Large White lists 60 Calories and 170 mg cholesterol.
• Eggland's Best lists 6 mcg vitamin D and 5 mg vitamin E per egg. The Vital Farms product page lists no vitamin values.
• USDA AMS says it does not have definitive scientific data showing a nutritional difference in eggs due to hen housing.

The table below puts the label values for each product in one place. Values are per 1 egg (50 g) unless noted.

Label value	Vital Farms Pasture-Raised (Large)	Eggland's Best Classic (Large White)	Eggland's Best Pasture Raised (Large Brown)
Calories	70	60	60
Total fat	5 g (6% DV)	4 g (5% DV)	Not disclosed
Saturated fat	1.5 g (8% DV)	1 g (6% DV)	Not disclosed
Cholesterol	185 mg (62% DV)	170 mg (57% DV)	170 mg
Sodium	70 mg (3% DV)	65 mg (3% DV)	Not disclosed
Protein	6 g (12% DV)	6 g (13% DV)	6 g
Vitamin D	Not listed on page	6 mcg (30% DV)	6 mcg (30% DV)
Vitamin E	Not listed on page	5 mg (35% DV)	5 mg (35% DV)
Omega-3	Not disclosed	125 mg (EB Large Eggs claim)	Not disclosed
Feed	Foraging on pasture for insects and naturally growing grasses; full feed composition not disclosed	100% all-vegetarian: grains, canola oil, and a supplement of rice bran, alfalfa, sea kelp and vitamin E	Not disclosed
Pasture claim	Certified Humane pasture-raised standard, audited every year	No pasture-raised claim listed for this product	All farms Certified Humane pasture raised by Humane Farm Animal Care

What does "pasture-raised" legally mean on an egg carton?

On a USDA grademarked carton, pasture-raised is a term that must be backed by a nationally recognized third-party certification. Both brands tie the term to Certified Humane or a similar certifier, but the wording on each carton differs.

Vital Farms states that its hens have "at least 108 square feet of outdoor space to roam freely across rotated pastures, foraging on a variety of insects and naturally growing grasses." The company says its farms are audited every year against the Certified Humane pasture-raised standard, and its cartons carry the farm name. The product is also labeled Non-GMO Project Verified.

Eggland's Best sells a separate Pasture Raised line. Its page says, "All our farms are Certified Humane pasture raised by Humane Farm Animal Care," and that hens have "freedom to roam with fresh air and sun during the day and spacious barns at night." The page does not state the outdoor space per hen for these farms.

Is Eggland's Best eggs pasture raised?

Eggland's Best sells a separate Pasture Raised line, and the pasture-raised statement appears on that line. The Classic Large White eggs are the product tied to the all-vegetarian feed claim, and no pasture-raised claim is listed for them in the label facts reviewed here.

Checkable details for any carton include the certifier's name, whether the carton shows a USDA grademark, and whether outdoor space per hen is stated. Readers comparing cartons may find it useful to note:

• The certifier named on the carton, not just the word pasture-raised
• Whether the product line is the same one the claim describes
• Whether outdoor space per hen is listed

Is there a federal definition of pasture-raised eggs?

No single federal definition of pasture-raised laying hens exists, according to USDA AMS policy. The AMS memo dated April 22, 2025 says that, "Due to a lack of a single definition for pasture raised laying hens, eggs packed in USDA grademarked packages labeled as pastured or pasture raised must be currently certified by a nationally recognized certifying body such as American Humane or Certified Humane."

The same memo defines related terms. Cage-free hens are able to "roam vertically and horizontally in indoor houses." Free-range hens have "continuous access to outdoors during their laying cycle," and the outdoor area may be fenced or netted.

What do Vital Farms and Eggland's Best hens eat?

Eggland's Best describes its Classic hens' diet as all-vegetarian, made of grains, canola oil, and a premium supplement of rice bran, alfalfa, sea kelp and Vitamin E. The Classic eggs product page carries a "100% All-Vegetarian Feed" claim.

Vital Farms describes foraging on pasture, where hens eat "a variety of insects and naturally growing grasses." The page does not describe a feed formula beyond that. Because foraging intake varies, the full feed composition for Vital Farms hens is not disclosed on the label.

The feed for the Eggland's Best Pasture Raised line is not described in the label facts reviewed here, so it is not compared in this section.

How many calories are in a Vital Farms vs Eggland's Best egg?

One large Vital Farms Pasture-Raised egg lists 70 calories, and one Eggland's Best Classic Large White egg lists 60 calories, both per 1 egg (50 g). The Eggland's Best Pasture Raised Large Brown egg also lists 60 calories.

Vital Farms lists 5 g total fat (6% DV), 1.5 g saturated fat (8% DV), 1 g polyunsaturated fat, 2 g monounsaturated fat, 0 g trans fat, 70 mg sodium (3% DV), 0 g carbohydrates and 6 g protein (12% DV). Eggland's Best Classic lists 4 g total fat (5% DV), 1 g saturated fat (6% DV), 0 g trans fat, 65 mg sodium (3% DV), 0 g carbohydrate, 0 g sugars and 6 g protein (13% DV).

Eggland's Best markets its egg as having "25% Less Saturated Fat Than Ordinary Eggs," based on "1g vs. 1.5 g (quantities rounded)."

How much cholesterol is in a Vital Farms vs Eggland's Best egg?

Vital Farms lists 185 mg of cholesterol per large egg, or 62% DV. Eggland's Best Classic Large White lists 170 mg, or 57% DV, and its Pasture Raised Large Brown also lists 170 mg per egg.

The gap between these labels is 15 mg per egg. People who track dietary cholesterol may compare these % DV figures against their own targets, and a clinician can help interpret those targets for an individual.

Eggland's Best also lists 125 mg of omega-3 per large egg in its EB Large Eggs claim. Vital Farms does not disclose an omega-3 value on its page.

How much vitamin D and vitamin E is in each egg?

Eggland's Best lists 6 mcg of vitamin D (30% DV) and 5 mg of vitamin E (35% DV) per large egg, and its Pasture Raised Large Brown lists the same values. The Vital Farms product page lists no vitamin values, so its vitamin D and vitamin E content is not disclosed on that label.

Eggland's Best's marketing page makes comparison claims against ordinary eggs, including "10X More Vitamin E*," "6x More Vitamin D*," "More than Double The Omega-3*" and "38% More Lutein*." The asterisked footnotes and the basis for each comparison are not restated in the label facts reviewed here, so these are brand claims rather than independent measurements. Its feed description includes vitamin E in the supplement, but the brand's pages do not state a direct link between that feed and egg vitamin E content.

Does hen housing change the nutrition in eggs?

USDA AMS says it "does not have definitive scientific data stating a nutritional difference in egg nutrition, due to hen housing." That statement covers housing alone, not the full set of differences between two brands.

These two products also differ in feed, certifier, and farm practices. Because of that, label differences between them cannot be attributed to housing. No lab-tested nutrient comparison between these two brands was disclosed in the label facts reviewed here.

How can you spot the pasture-raised claim on an egg label?

Look for a named third-party certifier and a USDA grademark, not just the phrase pasture-raised. A claim backed by a certifier is easier to check than a standalone word on the front of a carton.

A label-reading checklist for egg cartons may include:

• The certifier's name, such as Certified Humane, printed on the carton
• A USDA grademark, if the claim appears on a grademarked package
• Outdoor space per hen, if the brand states it
• The feed statement, such as all-vegetarian feed, and whether it is a claim or a full ingredient list
• The Nutrition Facts panel for calories, cholesterol and vitamins, since brand websites can differ from packaging

For more on reading the rest of the panel, see How to Read a Food Label: The Ingredient List, Line by Line.