With our busy lives, many of us look for meals that are tasty, affordable, nutritious, and better for the planet. Enter the humble egg. Though often associated with breakfast classics like boiled egg and soldiers or scrambled eggs on toast, they offer far more than just a tasty start to the day.
From cheesy omelettes to egg noodle stir fry or spicy egg curry, they are quick to cook and a very affordable nutrition powerhouses.
Two medium eggs provide a quarter of our daily protein needs and supply vitamins A and D, B vitamins, phosphorus, selenium and iodine, some of which are seriously lacking in UK diets.
According to the National Diet and Nutrition Survey, which monitors the nation’s nutrient intakes, one in 10 adults has very low intakes of vitamin B2 and iodine, while more than a third lack selenium. Two medium eggs cover at least a third of the daily needs for each of these nutrients.
The nutritional benefits don’t stop there. Eggs may also help to boost the absorption of health-promoting antioxidants from vegetables. A study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found adding eggs to a tomato, carrot, spinach and lettuce salad increased the absorption of lutein and zeaxanthin by up to five times, and beta-carotene and lycopene by up to eight times.
Vision support
Eggs provide nutrients that benefit our vision, including vitamin A, which is essential for good vision in dim light. They also contain lutein and zeaxanthin, antioxidants that lower the risk of cataracts and acute macular degeneration (AMD), both of which can cause blindness.
One study of more than 3,600 adults found people who ate two to four eggs a week, compared with less than one egg a week, had a 49 per cent reduced risk of developing late AMD – the point at which vision becomes impaired – after 15 years.
Food for the brain
Eggs are rich in choline, a nutrient needed for a neurotransmitter in the brain that’s crucial for memory and cognitive function.
Studies have found higher choline intakes slow the cognitive decline that occurs naturally as we get older and may help to lower risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. Plus eggs provide many B vitamins that support mental wellbeing and cognitive function.
Cholesterol clarity
Most people don’t need to worry about cholesterol in eggs. Research shows unless you have a genetic condition called familial hypercholesterolaemia, cholesterol in food has little impact on blood cholesterol levels or the risk of heart disease when eaten as part of a healthy balanced diet.
Instead, it’s saturated fats that are more likely to increase blood cholesterol – and only 28 per cent of the fat in an egg is the saturated type.
The rest is mainly heart-friendly unsaturated fats. Major UK heart and health advisory groups, including the British Heart Foundation and Heart UK, no longer put a limit on how many eggs we should eat.
Waistline helpers
A medium egg contains just 66kcal and makes for easy portion control. Better still, those calories come naturally packed with heaps of nutrients. Studies also suggest eggs can help us manage our weight by improving satiety – the feeling of fullness – so we take in fewer calories overall.
In one study, healthy men ate eggs on toast, cereal with milk and toast, or a croissant and orange juice for breakfast.
After the egg-containing breakfast, participants reported improved satiety, less hunger and a lower desire to eat. They also consumed 306 fewer calories over the rest of the day compared with the croissant breakfast, and 438 fewer calories compared with the cereal and toast brekkie.
Structural support
Eggs are packed with protein, which is essential for healthy bones and muscles. But they’re also one of the few foods that naturally contain vitamin D, which supports muscle function and helps the body to absorb calcium, making it essential for strong, healthy bones.
In turn, this helps to protect against osteoporosis, which the Royal Osteoporosis Society says affects around
3.5million people in the UK and is responsible for 1,400 fragility fractures every day.
Two medium eggs provide 3.2mcg vitamin D – around a third of the 10mcg daily recommendation for everyone over the age of one.
Eggscellent questions answered
Is it safe to have runny eggs?
Yes. Since 2017, the Food Standards Agency has confirmed it’s safe for most people, including pregnant women, babies, toddlers and older people, to eat runny, lightly cooked or even raw eggs (and foods containing them) as long as they have the British Lion mark. This is because the risk of salmonella from these eggs is very low.
Those who are severely immunocompromised should still ensure eggs are well cooked.
When can babies have eggs?
According to a report on feeding babies from the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition, eggs can be introduced from six months when weaning begins. Introducing them at this stage, and continuing to offer them as part of a baby’s usual diet, may help to lower the risk of egg allergy, but if there’s a family history of eczema or food allergies, then seek medical advice first. Don’t add salt to eggs for babies.
How many eggs can I eat each week?
There’s no limit. Enjoy eggs as part of a balanced, healthy diet, avoid adding salt, and partner them with other nutrient-rich foods such as vegetables, wholegrains and reduced-fat dairy products.
Should eggs be kept in the fridge?
Eggs should be kept at a constant temperature of 20C or below for freshness. Most kitchens are warmer than this so it’s best to refrigerate them. Remove from the fridge about 30 minutes before cooking for best results.
Is it healthier to only eat egg white?
Egg white is low in fat, high in protein and contains potassium, important for maintaining blood pressure. But the yolk contains most of an egg’s nutrients. The yolk has more protein than the white and contains seven times more selenium, 12 times more folate, 27 times more vitamin B12, 33times iodine, and 50 times more phosphorus. Plus, ditching the yolk contributes to food waste, which harms the planet.
Can you freeze eggs?
Yes. Remove the shell, beat the yolk and white together then place in a sealed container. Use within four months, defrost in the fridge (don’t cook them from frozen) and ensure they’re fully cooked before eating.
Is it OK to eat eggs after the use by date?
Yes. The Food Standards Agency confirms it’s safe to eat eggs a couple of days past their best before date if they’re cooked thoroughly or used in baking. The egg float test isn’t reliable for checking if eggs are safe to eat – it’s a sign of how much air is in an egg (older eggs have more air inside them) rather than whether bacteria are growing inside.
Are eggs bad for the planet?
Eggs are quick to cook, keeping energy usage low, and there’s no waste. They also have the lowest environmental impact of all the animal proteins. In the UK, eggs are responsible for less than two per cent of greenhouse gas emissions compared with around five per cent for white meat and poultry, six per cent for fish, 14 per cent for dairy products and 24 per cent for red meat. They also use less land and water than other animal foods. A plant-based diet is the best choice for the planet, but for non-vegan diets, compared to other animal foods, eggs are an environmentally friendlier protein.
