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The humble egg is one of the most nutritious, affordable and versatile foods you can find in the supermarket. Fact. And who doesn’t love a good egg? That versatile, nutrient powerhouse can be a real game-changer in your diet. But when it comes to superfoods, eggs often get overshadowed by the likes of blueberries, green powders, and fancy protein bars.
Let's crack into the five reasons why the humble egg deserves a prime spot on your shopping list!
Reason One: Eggs are Nature’s Multivitamin
Eggs are truly nature's multivitamin. They contain a wide range of vitamins and minerals that support everything from vision and bone health to brain function and metabolism. Here's a quick rundown of what you get in a single medium egg:
They contain 19 nutrients:
- Vitamin A: 270 IU
- Vitamin D: 41 IU
- Vitamin E: 0.5mg
- Vitamin K: 0.1mcg
- Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin): 0.25mg
- Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic acid):0.7 mg
- Vitamin B6: 0.1mg
- Vitamin B9 (Folate): 24mcg
- Vitamin B12: 0.6mcg
- Calcium: 28mg
- Iron: 0.8mg
- Magnesium: 6mg
- Phosphorus: 99mg
- Potassium: 69mg
- Sodium: 70mg
- Zinc: 0.6mg
- Selenium: 15.4mcg
- Copper: 0.025mg
- Manganese: 0.02mg
Reason Two: The Antioxidant Advantage
The yolk is where the magic happens. It contains powerful antioxidants like lutein and zeaxanthin, which are crucial for eye health. One of the most important nutrients found in the yolk is choline. A single egg provides about 147 mg of choline, essential for brain, nervous system, liver, and cellular function. Just four eggs a day can help you reach 100% of your required choline intake - which is essential for the brain, nervous system, liver and cell function.
Reason Three: The Protein Powerhouse
We often hear about the importance of high-quality protein for muscle repair, immune function, and overall health. Each egg contains about 6 grams of high-quality protein, making it an excellent source. Eat three eggs a day, and you’re adding a cool 18 grams of complete protein to your diet. It's also what's called "a complete protein" - one with all nine essential amino acids (histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, threonine, tryptophan, valine) which your body can’t produce on its own.
Reason Four: The Myth of Fancy Superfoods
There’s a common misconception that the more exotic the superfood, the better for you it is. However, the truth is that the simple, affordable egg packs a nutritional punch that rivals like blueberries, green powders and protein bars—and often surpasses these trendy options. Let’s compare the cost of eggs to other popular superfoods.
An egg on average costs between 26-31p (for free-range). Each medium egg roughly weighs 55g - which means we're looking at £4.77/kg (although some of that weight is the inedible shell).
Blueberries - great for antioxidants but fall short on protein and essential vitamins typically £12/kg
Green powders - convenient but often expensive and not as nutrient-dense around £30/kg
Protein bars - handy for a quick fix but can be loaded with sugars and additives up to £45/kg
Reason Five: Eggs Impacting Cholesterol is a Myth
For years, eggs got a bad rap due to their cholesterol content. But thanks to advancements in nutritional science, we now know that the cholesterol in eggs doesn't significantly impact blood cholesterol levels for most people. In fact, studies have shown that eating eggs can improve your HDL (good) cholesterol while maintaining the healthy HDL to LDL cholesterol ratio. So, if you've been avoiding eggs for this reason, it's time to bring them back to your breakfast table.
Final Thoughts
The quality of the chicken’s life and the food they eat will impact the nutritional content of eggs, so the investment in free range or organic does actually lead to a more nutritious egg.
With the added nutrient profile you get from protein and amino acids to vitamins and Choline, they are one of the best superfoods in the supermarket.
Incorporating eggs into your diet can be a simple yet effective way to boost your nutrient intake while keeping your grocery bill in check.
The versatility of eggs means you can enjoy them in countless dishes, ensuring you never get bored. They are accessible to everyone o, next time you're at the supermarket, make sure to pick up a dozen eggs—your wallet and your body will thank you.
