an egg-ceptional super food

The humble hen’s egg is back in favour, thanks to recent advice from the CSIRO: not only is it fine to eat eggs on a daily basis, but those of us who eat the most eggs tend to have a better quality diet overall. Time to get cracking! 

Perfect protein

Eggs are a source of inexpensive, high-quality protein — they contain all 13 essential vitamins and minerals — but they’re not all created equal.

According to a study by American sustainability magazine Mother Earth News, eggs from free-range hens can contain up to six times more vitamin D and twice as many omega-3 fatty acids than supermarket cage eggs.

Not only for breakfast

“Their neutral, rich flavour provides an ideal background for a huge array of ingredients, both savoury and sweet,” says Lucy O’Reilly, author of Posh eggs: over 70 recipes for wonderful eggy things — and they’re a versatile treat for any time of the day. We love our bacon and egg sandwiches; in India hard-boiled eggs are curried in gravy; and Italians whip up carbonara sauce using fresh eggs.

Fresh is best

If you’re not sure if an egg is fresh, try the ‘sink or swim’ test: a fresh egg will sink to the bottom of a glass of water; a stale one will float to the surface.