Making More of Eggs

We love eggs in our household … and get through 2 dozen every week! They are a powerhouse of protein, essential fats and a wide range of vitamins and trace elements. Nutritional building blocks for the growing brain and body, supporting mental wellbeing and mood. Versatile, quick, and affordable, I usually buy eggs from my local butcher; they’re super fresh, with deep orange yolks and shape-defined whites, indicating their freshness and quality.  This also tells me something about the welfare of the chickens that hatched them. Including eggs daily in your family diet provides a wealth of essential nutrients, and are highly bio-available, meaning in a form the body can use. In this blog, I’ll explore safety assurances, health concerns, nutritional composition, and share an easy recipe for the whole family.

 Safety assurance background - Salmonella

Egg intake plummeted in the mid-1980’s following a leaked report about dangerous levels of salmonella bacteria found in hen's eggs.  The then junior health minister, Edwina Curry stated that most eggs contain salmonella, and especially raw or soft -boiled eggs should not be eaten by infants, pregnant women and the elderly due to fears of salmonella poisoning, and potential fatality! 400 million eggs were destroyed and 4 million hens slaughtered. It took 10 years before confidence in eggs started to return. The Lion Stamp of safety assurance and traceability was introduced in 1988 and 90% of British eggs now have the Lion Stamp, with raw and soft-boiled eggs considered safe to eat, for everyone.

Cholesterol

Another blight on the goodness of eggs has been their high cholesterol contents. Eggs contain relatively high amounts of cholesterol, all found in the yolk, where other essential nutrients are found.  We know now, through controlled trials and meta-analysis, that the cholesterol in egg yolks, (and other foods) have very little effect on blood cholesterol for most people. 1-2 eggs are recommended daily for the wide range of nutritional benefits they provide. A detailed summary about fats and cholesterol from Zoe’s nutritional research can be found here.

An abundance of essential nutrients

Essential nutrients are required for very specific functions, and which cannot be made by the body, and absence of which will result in nutrient deficiency. And so, essential nutrients must be derived from our diets, to maintain these specific and often vital functions. For example, DHA, an essential Omega 3 fat found in rich amounts in egg yolk, is an important component of brain cell membranes.  Deficiency of DHA in premature infants, results in slow visual processing, visual and cognitive impairment, and as a result became a mandatory addition to all infant formula in 2020. Breast milk naturally contains high amounts of DHA, a reflection of nature's imperative to provide for the developing foetus and infant. And of course, pregnant and lactating mumma's do need extra DHA, otherwise they utilise their own stores (from brain structures)  to provide it for their offspring! Lack of essential nutrients can mean that we function sub-optimally, affecting health, wellbeing and performance. Eggs are of high biological value in supporting development and maintenance of the brain in particular, and also the body due to essential proteins, iron, and B vitamins.  Eggs provide a rich range of essential nutrients, readily absorbed by the body, and below I give a breakdown of  how the essential nutrients in eggs support the brain and body.

• High biological value protein containing all essential amino acids: the building blocks for body and brain. Rich in DHA, an omega-3 essential fat, and choline an essential neurotransmitter parent substance
• Egg yolks contain the essential omega-3 fat DHA and are found in high (but variable) amounts in egg yolks and mothers’ milk. Another reason why quality, freshness and animal welfare are so important in selecting your eggs, and eating a high-quality diet throughout child-bearing years (and beyond) is so important
• DHA keeps the membranes (the outer boundary) of our brain cells functioning well, which allows them to communicate easily with other cells
• DHA provides structural support (building blocks) for those brain cell membranes, making up about 50% of the membrane, which protects & maintains, enables communication & nutrient transport, as well as brain development and repair throughout the whole of the life cycle. This alone makes eggs of high value in infancy and early years, but also for the whole family
• Choline is another essential component of eggs. It is. The parent substance for making neurotransmitters (chemical messengers in the brain) responsible for enhancing mood, memory, cognitive functions, early and life-long brain development and protection
• Choline and DHA work together to support brain and eye development in pregnancy and early infancy. Both nutrients work independently and also support the effectiveness of the other
• 1 whole egg provides over 30% of daily needs for both choline and DHA, which are around 100mg for children, 200mg for adults, with needs up to 400mg in pregnancy and breastfeeding.
• Phosphorus contributes to the maintenance of bones and teeth, cell membrane functions and energy metabolism
• A rich source of Vitamin D and Vitamin B12, providing at least 30% of the recommended daily amount per portion. Vitamin D supports healthy bones and teeth, muscles and joints, calcium uptake by bone and immune system function; Vitamin B12 helps mature new red blood cells, supports energy production, immune and nervous system function
• A good source of Vitamin A, Vitamin B2 Riboflavin, B5 pantothenic acd, B6 pyridoxine, B7 Biotin and B9 Folic acid, providing at least 15% of the recommended daily amount per portion. These nutrients contribute to a wide range of roles to support energy, growth, blood formation and immune system function
  • Vitamin A contributes eye and skin health, immune system function
  • Iodine supports the essential functioning of the thyroid gland, production of thyroid hormones, energy and nervous system function
  • Selenium acts as an anti-oxidant to protect cells against oxygen damage, immune system and thyroid function

Making more of eggs, and helping children love real food x