It’s Good Friday today!  Since it is Easter I could write a post about chocolate and tell you about the cocoa percentage and type of fat used.  I won’t though because you’re bound to come across it an article anyway.  You also already know that you shouldn’t eat too many chocolate eggs!

Let’s look at a different type of egg instead.  The good old-fashioned chicken egg.  It was after all the Easter tradition of decorating boiled eggs that preceded the consumption of chocolate Easter eggs.  Eggs deserve to be in the spotlight to highlight their abundance of nutrients and to clarify any misconceptions about their nutrition.

Eggs are a rich source of protein and monounsaturated fats (the ‘good fats’).  The detailed version of this information is contained in the below table which state the nutritional content of two poached eggs, say 100 grams (Source: NUTTAB 2010).  They are also a source of vitamins A, B₂, B₁₂, D, E and folate, as well as minerals such as iodine, iron and zinc.

You may recall eggs having previously been in the spotlight due to their cholesterol levels and the concern of this on blood cholesterol levels.  We now know that limiting the amount of saturated fat (the ‘bad fats’) is more important.  Saturated fats are found in milk, cream, butter, cheese, most meat, palm oil, coconut oil, as well as foods such as pies, biscuits, cakes and pastries.  The Dietitians Association of Australia states ‘that eating large amounts of foods containing saturated fats is a bigger problem and has a much greater influence on blood cholesterol levels’.  This is supported by the National Heart Foundation who also state that ‘you can enjoy up to six eggs each week’.

So how would you like your eggs?

(No, made from chocolate isn’t what I was thinking)