The Incredible Edible Egg

In January 2011 the American Egg Board launched a new marketing campaign to promote eggs as a power breakfast for kids:  “When it comes to your kids, you'll do whatever it takes to help them succeed.”

Eggs definitely make it on my list of great foods to eat.  The protein in eggs is the highest quality protein found in any food and it is used as the standard to which other protein-rich foods are compared.  Eggs provide the highest quality protein found in any food because they provide all of the essential amino acids our bodies need in a near-perfect pattern. While many people think the egg white has all the protein, the yolk actually provides nearly half of it.  One egg provides 6 grams of protein, or 12% of the Recommended Daily Value.

Eggs are also a great source of riboflavin, vitamin B12 and minerals, particularly choline and selenium.  The nutrients are primarily in the yolk, so be sure to enjoy the whole egg and not just the white.  Many brands of eggs are also marketed as high in omega-3 fatty which are produced by hens fed a diet rich in flaxseed.   

Concerned about cholesterol?  People who have been avoiding eggs because of their high cholesterol content may be cheered to learn that eggs have lost cholesterol over the past decade. Instead of 215 mg per large egg, there are now 185 mg of cholesterol based on the Agricultural Research Service analysis on eggs collected from a dozen locations around the country.

The Egg Nutrition Center, a group linked to the industry, speculates that changes in chickens' diets might account for the drop. The analysis also showed that eggs contain more vitamin D than they did a decade ago, about 41 International Units per egg. That is still far less vitamin D than a person needs. Considering this new analysis, plus previous research demonstrating that eating eggs does not raise cholesterol for most people, people don't need to feel guilty about enjoying this nutritious breakfast food.

How do you know if the eggs are fresh?

In addition to the freshness date on the end of the carton, there is a 3-digit number indicating the date the eggs were laid that corresponds with the day of the year.  For example, 010 would be for January 10 and 364 would be for December 30. 

A very fresh egg will have a thick, firm white directly around the yolk.  The yolk color does not indicate freshness; it only reflects what the hens have eaten in the diet.  Store your eggs in the refrigerator to preserve freshness.