Health Benefits of Eggs

Eggs have been part of our diets since the dawn of time. Yet only now are we learning the full extent of the nutritional wonders they pack, and how beneficial they are in promoting lasting health benefits. Loaded with 13 essential vitamins and minerals, eggs also provide key sources of these important nutrients that are needed as part of a healthy diet to help you be your best, every day.

Below, we’ve provided some of the proven key health benefits of eating eggs:

Eggs Are Nutrient Rich

Let’s start with the fact that eggs are jam-packed with a range of essential vitamins and minerals.

An average serving of 2 eggs contains:

• 82% of your daily vitamin D requirements
• 50% of your daily folate requirements
• 25% of your daily riboflavin (Vitamin B2) requirements
• 40% of your daily selenium requirements

Eggs also contain useful amounts of vitamins A, E, B5, B12, as well as iron, iodine and phosphorus – all vital nutrients in supporting your healthy, balanced diet.

Eggs Provide Excellent Quality Protein

Eggs are widely considered to be a valuable source of quality protein. Proteins are the building blocks of life, essential for the strength and repair of muscle and tissue – with one single egg containing about 6.3 grams of protein.

The powerful advantage of the protein in eggs links to the fact that eggs contain all nine essential amino acids – in sufficient amounts – to support effective muscle growth, recovery and maintenance.

While some other foods contain proportionately more protein than eggs – the high-quality and bio-availability of protein in eggs is truly second to none.

Eggs Improve Levels of “Good” Cholesterol

Eggs help increase high-density lipoprotein (HDL) levels – or “good” cholesterol as it’s commonly known – and this is one reason why eggs have been found to have little to no effect on heart disease risk.

It’s low-density lipoprotein (LDL) –  or “bad” cholesterol – that can put heart health at risk. Meals high in saturated fats and trans-fats such as deep-fried takeaway foods are the key culprits when it comes to increased risk levels of LDL cholesterol.

Eggs Provide A Great Source Of Vitamin D

Egg yolks are one of a handful of foods that naturally contain vitamin D. And with close to a quarter of all Australian adults suffering from a mild or moderate vitamin D deficiency, the case for eggs is even more potent.

A serving of two eggs provides 82% of your recommended daily intake of vitamin D –  making them an all-important source of this essential vitamin.

Sometimes called the ‘sunshine vitamin’, vitamin D plays an important role in the absorption of calcium and phosphorus – making it essential for the maintenance of healthy bones and teeth. Vitamin D also aids in promoting healthy muscle function and immune system maintenance.

Eggs Are Among the Best Dietary Sources of Choline

Choline is an important nutrient that is made in the liver, however, as most people don’t produce enough choline to meet daily requirements, it also needs to be consumed through the food you eat.

Similar to the function of B vitamins, choline is essential for normal cell functioning, playing an influential role in brain and spinal cord development during pregnancy, cognitive development in infants and also helping to reduce cognitive decline in the elderly. Until recently, the role of choline as part of a balanced diet had been largely overlooked.

Eggs are a rich source of choline providing more than double the amount of choline per 100g than any other commonly eaten food.  This makes eggs a highly effective and simple means of meeting your daily nutritional intake.

Eggs Are A Good Source of Omega-3s

Omega-3s are special types of polyunsaturated fatty acids, and are a family of “essential fats” that play an important role in the way your cell membranes work; from heart and brain health through to protecting your eyes. And as your body produces a limited amount of Omega-3s on its own, it’s beneficial to actively consume them through various food sources.

Eggs are mother nature’s incredible and edible source of Omega-3 fatty acids, providing on average, 180mg per serve (2 eggs). Of this amount, 114mg is the long-chain type of omega-3 fatty acid – which represents between 71-127% of the desired intake for adults.

Oily fish is one of the best-known sources of omega-3s, however, for people who avoid or can’t eat fish, eggs are a particularly useful source of these healthy types of fats.

Eggs Help Boost Nutrient Intake for Healthy Aging

Eggs are an accessible, economical and easily digestible source of excellent quality protein and essential vitamins and minerals – making them an ideal dietary inclusion for older Australians.

Easy to prepare, eggs are a simple means to increase nutrient intakes for older people, in turn helping to reduce the risk of a wide range of deficiencies and conditions.

They also contain a significant amount of leucine, an amino acid that is important for ongoing muscle support, as well as other key nutrients including vitamin D and Omega-3 fatty acids, plus a little known nutrient, choline, which is important for brain function.

Credit: australianeggs.org.au

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