Eggs are a deliciously nutritious powerhouse with 13 essential vitamins and nutrients.
As nature’s original superfood, eggs have been a part of our diets for centuries. It’s only now that we’re beginning to fully understand the extent of their nutritional benefits and their role in promoting lasting health.
Let’s start with the fact that eggs are jam-packed with a range of essential vitamins and minerals.
An average serving of two eggs contains:
of your daily vitamin D requirements
of your daily folate requirements
of your daily riboflavin (Vitamin B2) requirements
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 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 adequate 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 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.
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.
A balanced diet can go a long way towards supporting stress reduction and better mental health practices — both reducing the impact of symptoms and optimising greater performance.
And when it comes to the headstrong benefits of eggs — the combination of vitamin B2, B12, choline, iron and tryptophan are all associated with helping reduce the risk of anxiety, symptoms of depression and naturally aiding sleep.