Get to Know this Nutrient Powerhouse During Nutrition Month

What makes eggs so incredible? Simply put, eggs are a delicious?nutrient powerhouse.

You probably already know that eggs are a protein powerhouse, but their benefits don’t stop there. Yes, they come in small packages, but that doesn’t take away from their impact. Endlessly versatile, there are so many ways to personalize your plate…boiled, scrambled, poached, baked, deviled – the list goes on, making eggs a high-power, low-maintenance food.??

Eggs support any healthy dietary eating plan and are a nutritious part of cuisines all over the world. To celebrate this #NutritionMonth, join me as I share all about the unparalleled nutritional value of the incredible egg.

What do (most) consumers?really?know about egg nutrition?

In order to talk about egg nutrition, you need to first understand what consumers understand and know. At the?American Egg Board, we conducted some deep consumer listening and found that while consumers feel good about eggs in general, they don’t understand much beyond the fact that eggs have protein.

The fact is eggs are more than just a protein powerhouse. They are a complete protein with essential vitamins and minerals for healthy living.??All eggs, regardless of color or how the hen is raised, have the same nutritional content. Unless the packaging specifies that the egg has been nutritionally enhanced — which can be done with fortified feed — the nutrient content of eggs is pretty much the same regardless of shell color (white or brown), grade (AA, A or B) or how they are raised (organic, free-range or conventional).?Eggs are also easy to prepare and easy to love at any age— and at any meal. They are an essential part of building a healthy lifestyle.

Eggs are a yes-brainer.

The choline in eggs helps support lifelong brain health at every age and stage, including memory, thinking, mood and more.[1]?In fact, one large egg contains 150 milligrams of choline — which provides 25% of daily choline needs for adults and children age 4 years and older.[2]

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) cites choline as a key nutrient that supports brain health from conception through two years of age.[3]?Eggs are one of the greatest nutrient-dense sources of choline among everyday foods according to the Scientific Report of the 2020 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee.[4]?Yet, more than 90% of Americans, including 90% of pregnant women, don’t get enough choline each day.[5]?Eggs are also a complete protein and have several other key vitamins and minerals recommended by the AAP for little ones’ growing brains and bodies, including vitamin B-12 and iodine.[3]

Getting enough choline is especially critical during pregnancy and lactation to support baby’s brain development – including over the long-term.?Here’s some of the newest studies on this matter:

1. A 2018 study supported by the Egg Nutrition Center tested intake of 930 milligrams/day of choline in the diet of 13 pregnant women during their third trimester, which resulted in improved infant information processing speed, aka reaction time – a marker of cognitive function, compared to the group with maternal intake at recommended levels (480 milligrams/day).[6]?

• What’s cool about this study is that even in the 480 milligram/day group, the infants with the longest exposure performed significantly better. Therefore, there seem to be benefits of increasing choline intake beyond current recommended levels and starting early.

1. A newly published follow-up of this original study found that these benefits to cognitive markers, like greater ability to maintain sustained attention, were seen in the infants born to the mothers from the 930 milligrams/day group compared to the 480 milligrams/day group 7 years later![7]

Science is in alliance: heart-healthy eating can include eggs.

Eggs support any healthy dietary eating plan, offering high-quality protein, vitamins and minerals. In fact,?according to the American Heart Association ?(AHA), eggs are recommended as part of a heart-healthy diet for healthy adults.[8] And for most people, eating eggs does not negatively impact their blood cholesterol levels.[9] Check out my recent?article on eggs and heart health ?to learn more.

How we can address the egg nutrition knowledge gap.

Despite these nutrition facts, a gap exists between what consumers claim to know and what they actually know about egg nutrition. Consumers most associate eggs with protein but have an interest in learning about the other nutrients in eggs.

We know consumers are looking for simple, convenient ways to make nutritional improvements.?At the?American Egg Board, we are committed to championing the egg nutrition story during #NationalNutritionMonth – and every month.?A great place to continue your egg nutrition journey is at the?Egg Nutrition Center ?– as for me, I’ll be making a nutritious avocado toast with simply perfect poached egg on top (I know, I’m super basic—don’t come for me!).?

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[1] Choline. National Institutes of Health, Office of Dietary Supplements website.?https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Choline-HealthProfessional/ . Updated March 29, 2021. Accessed March 21, 2022.?

[2] Egg Nutrition Facts Labels. American Egg Board website.?https://www.incredibleegg.org/nutrition/egg-nutrition-facts . Accessed March 21, 2022.?

[3] Schwarzenberg SJ, Georgieff MK; COMMITTEE ON NUTRITION. Advocacy for Improving Nutrition in the First 1000 Days to Support Childhood Development and Adult Health.?Pediatrics. 2018;141(2):e20173716.

[4] Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee. 2020. Scientific Report of the 2020 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee: Advisory Report to the Secretary of Agriculture and the Secretary of Health and Human Services. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Washington, DC. Available at:?https://doi.org/10.52570/DGAC2020 .

[5] Wallace TC, Fulgoni VL 3rd. Assessment of Total Choline Intakes in the United States.?J Am Coll Nutr.?2016;35(2):108-112.

[6] Caudill MA, Strupp BJ, Muscalu L, Nevins JEH, Canfield RL. Maternal choline supplementation during the third trimester of pregnancy improves infant information processing speed: a randomized, double-blind, controlled feeding study.?FASEB J.?2018;32(4):2172-2180.

[7] Bahnfleth CL, Strupp BJ, Caudill MA, Canfield RL. Prenatal choline supplementation improves child sustained attention: A 7-year follow-up of a randomized controlled feeding trial.?FASEB J.?2022;36(1):e22054.

[8] Suggested Servings from Each Food Group. American Heart Association website.?https://www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/healthy-eating/eat-smart/nutrition-basics/suggested-servings-from-each-food-group . Updated November 1, 2021. Accessed March 21, 2022.?

[9] Carson JAS, Lichtenstein AH, Anderson CAM, et al. Dietary Cholesterol and Cardiovascular Risk: A Science Advisory From the American Heart Association.?Circulation. 2020;141(3):e39-e53.