Parents want the best for their kids. We want them to do well in school, we want them to find their way in life, and—above all—we want them to be happy. One of the best ways parents help is by feeding their kids a delicious and nutritious diet. We want them to have the energy they need to learn, grow, and succeed. Eggs can play a big role in that. I want to share with you five key reasons why eggs can help your child become all they can be.

1. Healthy brain

Research has found that pregnant and breastfeeding women who eat eggs are more likely to meet their child’s need for choline.¹ What is choline, you ask? It boosts parts of the brain important for learning and memory. We know pregnant women need more choline, with one University of Toronto study suggesting that 87% of those women consumed less than the recommended amount.² The lesson is: don’t avoid eggs during pregnancy!

2. Healthy growth

Two studies have shown the role eggs can play to regulate and maintain a child’s weight. One study found that children who eat higher-protein egg-based breakfasts ate fewer calories at lunch. The other study found that hunger was reduced overall when children ate a higher-protein egg-based breakfast. That breakfast increased children’s’ fullness by 32%, decreased hunger by 14% and desire to eat by 30% compared to a carbohydrate-rich meal.³ For healthy weight regulation, eggs can be key!

3. Less sugar

One of the reasons obesity is so prevalent in North America is our sugar-rich diets. According to one report, “one in every five calories that Canadians consume comes from sugar”.⁴ Youth are among the highest consumers of sugar. Eggs are a wholesome food, free of sugar, and rich in vitamins and nutrients. Plus they can be cooked in so many delicious ways—the perfect option for reducing sugar intake.

4. Preventing an allergy

Eggs are such a healthy food choice, yet an egg allergy can prevent you from enjoying them for a lifetime. But introducing whole eggs early in a child’s diet can reduce their chances of developing an egg allergy. It’s one of the reasons why the latest infant feeding guidelines from Health Canada, the Canadian Pediatric Society, Dietitians of Canada and the Breastfeeding Committee for Canada recommend introducing whole eggs as soon as six months of age, or as soon as your baby starts eating whole foods.

5. So many nutritional benefits

One of the great things about those new infant feeding guidelines is their implication for babies. From a nutritional perspective, eggs are simply an incredible food. Eggs are an excellent source of iron and are a nutritious source of protein, fat, Vitamins A, D, E, and B12 and choline.

Eggs offer so much to our children. They are at the core of a diet that will help them grow up healthy, strong and smart. So do your best to feed your kids eggs. They’ll thank you one day… or they’ll thank you that day, when they love what you’ve cooked!

References:

1. Lewis ED et al. Estimation of choline intake from 24 h dietary intake recalls and contribution of egg and milk consumption to intake among pregnant and breastfeeding women in Alberta. British Journal of Nutrition 2014; 112(1):112-21.
2. Masih SP et al. Pregnant Canadian women achieve recommended intakes of one-carbon nutrients through prenatal supplementation but the supplement composition, including choline, requires reconsideration. Journal of Nutrition 2015 Aug; 145(8):1824-34.
3. Baum JI, GrayM and Binns A. Breakfasts higher in protein increase postprandial energy expenditure, increase fat oxidation, and reduce hunger in overweight children from 8 to 12 years of age. J Nutr 2015; 145(10):2229–35.
4. Statistics Canada. Sugar consumption among Canadians of all ages. Health Reports, 2014; 82-003-X, Volume 22, Number 3.

Important Notice: This article was originally published at www.eggfarmers.ca by Egg Farmers of Canada where all credits are due.

Disclaimer

The watching, interacting, and participation of any kind with anything on this page does not constitute or initiate a doctor-patient relationship with Dr. Farrah®. None of the statements here have been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The products of Dr. Farrah® are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. The information being provided should only be considered for education and entertainment purposes only. If you feel that anything you see or hear may be of value to you on this page or on any other medium of any kind associated with, showing, or quoting anything relating to Dr. Farrah® in any way at any time, you are encouraged to and agree to consult with a licensed healthcare professional in your area to discuss it. If you feel that you’re having a healthcare emergency, seek medical attention immediately. The views expressed here are simply either the views and opinions of Dr. Farrah® or others appearing and are protected under the first amendment.

Dr. Farrah® is a highly experienced Licensed Medical Doctor certified in evidence-based clinical nutrition, not some enthusiast, formulator, or medium promoting the wild and unrestrained use of nutrition products for health issues without clinical experience and scientific evidence of therapeutic benefit. Dr. Farrah® has personally and keenly studied everything she recommends, and more importantly, she’s closely observed the reactions and results in a clinical setting countless times over the course of her career involving the treatment of over 150,000 patients.

Dr. Farrah® promotes evidence-based natural approaches to health, which means integrating her individual scientific and clinical expertise with the best available external clinical evidence from systematic research. By individual clinical expertise, I refer to the proficiency and judgment that individual clinicians acquire through clinical experience and clinical practice.

Dr. Farrah® does not make any representation or warranties with respect to the accuracy, applicability, fitness, or completeness of any multimedia content provided. Dr. Farrah® does not warrant the performance, effectiveness, or applicability of any sites listed, linked, or referenced to, in, or by any multimedia content.

To be clear, the multimedia content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health providers with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read or seen in any website, video, image, or media of any kind. Dr. Farrah® hereby disclaims any and all liability to any party for any direct, indirect, implied, punitive, special, incidental, or other consequential damages arising directly or indirectly from any use of the content, which is provided as is, and without warranties.