Eggs are an excellent source of protein, minerals and essential vitamins and can make significant contributions to healthy diets.

Protein: Eggs are an excellent source of protein for humans as the egg contains all the essential amino acids required by humans. Egg protein is found in both yolk and white (albumen). One egg can contain 12 – 15% of the daily protein requirement for an average person. It is of such high standard it is often used as a reference food with which to compare other foods.

Energy: With only trace levels of carbohydrate and sugar available an egg will contribute only 3 – 4% (76 k/calories) to the daily diet and no dietary fibre.

Vitamins: Eggs are a good source of all B vitamins and also with significant levels of vitamin A & D and some vitamin E. Lutein (a carotenoid vitamin) is also present in eggs – this is often called “the eye vitamin” because it is used to prevent eye diseases including age-related macular degeneration (AMD). The only vitamin missing from an egg is Vitamin C.

Minerals: Eggs are an excellent source of minerals, in particular Iodine and Phosphorus required for Thyroid and bone health, but also Zinc, Calcium Selenium and Iron.

Fat: Approximately 10% of the egg contents are fat and this fat is almost entirely contained within the yolk. The good news is that only 3% is saturated fat.

Recent advances in chicken’s nutrition mean that levels of healthy Omega 3 fatty acids can be increased within the egg to give eggs healthy to heart and brain.

Cholesterol: Whilst eggs were once regarded as unhealthy and having cholesterol levels at an unhealthy level it is now recognised that in fact this is untrue and eggs are a healthy contributor to a balanced diet.