What do you generally have for breakfast? A boiled egg and whole-grain bread; or maybe an omelet stuffed with mushrooms and cheese; scrambled eggs with hot, buttered toast? We even use eggs in a cake, soufflés, curries and a lot more dishes. Eggs are an essential part of our lives and meals. Here are some interesting health facts about eggs:

Eggs provide kids with the highest quality protein, which provides the building blocks they need to grow and the energy they need to stay focused throughout the day.
 
The protein in eggs helps adults build and preserve muscle strength and allows them to feel full longer and stay energized, which contributes to maintaining a healthy weight.
 
Eggs have varying amounts of four of the nutrients pregnant women need most: choline, protein, folate and iron. Choline, a recently recognized essential nutrient, contributes to fetal brain development and is important in nerve tissue development, which helps prevent birth defects.
 
Older adults are at risk for sarcopenia, the age-related loss of muscle mass. Eggs provide the highest quality protein, which can help them meet their protein needs in order to help maintain muscle function and slow the rate of muscle loss.

Eggs provide small amounts of lutein and zeaxanthin (zee-uh-ZAN-thin), two nutrients which are part of the carotenoid family (like beta-carotene in carrots) that contribute to eye health and help prevent common causes of age-related blindness. Research suggests that lutein from eggs may be more bioavailable, meaning more easily absorbed by the body, than lutein from richer sources.