Hello fellow tumblrs, It's been a while since my last written blog so I thought I'd update you on what I've been doing and my progress to date. I have been AWOL due to writing my final exam and guess what?! I passed and I'm graduating with a double degree! Woo hoo! 4 years later!! :) also been super busy with work. But now I'm on a long break and enjoying my summer holiday so I thought about eggs... Yup! That's right, eggs! Here are some hard boiled facts about these protein rich fit food! Why are eggs good for us? Eggs are a nutritional powerhouse providing 11 different vitamins and minerals, high quality protein, healthy fats (including omegas-3) and important antioxidants. The best part is that eggs have very minimal, if any, effect on blood cholesterol levels. What are the nutrients? Two average eggs provide around one third of the day's requirements for vitamin B12, iodine, (vitamin B5), riboflavin, vitamin A and vitamin E and 20-25% of the day's requirements for protein, folate, iron and phosphorus. Eggs also provide zinc, are one of the only food sources of vitamin D and are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, particularly the long chain DHA and DPA. It’s true, their quite eggs-straordinary!! Which type of eggs should I buy? Always opt for organic, free range brands. This is because there are often lots of nasty artificial hormones and antibiotics fed to chooks at non-organic farms, which end up in the egg and therefore inside YOU. And if they're not free range, the hen probably lived a pretty sad and sorry life, which is just not a nice thought and who wants to eat the eggs of an obese, unhealthy, depressed and caged hen!? Not me! Should I eat the yoke as well or just the white? Eggs are a wholefood – which means for the best quality they need to be eaten as a whole! By removing any which part of the egg would mean you are removing valuable nutrients. Keep in mind that all of the vitamin A, D, E and choline (important for brain development) are all stored in the yoke, so it’s best to keep these two together. How should I store them? To keep your eggs at their highest quality, it’s best to keep them in their original carton, in the refrigerator. Cartons reduce water loss and help to prevent any egg-sotic flavours in your fridge from being absorbed into the eggs. It will also protect them from any damage that may occur from storing them in the fridge door. How long do eggs last? Eggs that are stored well can be kept refrigerated for 6 weeks from the date they were packed. Keep in mind that if an egg is left on the kitchen bench it will egg-sagerate the aging process by 7 times compared to an egg that is stored in the refrigerator, so keep em’ cool! How many eggs should I eat? For an optimal diet, we would recommend 2 eggs daily, 3 days a week. Research supports the inclusion of around 6 eggs a week as part of a healthy diet. It’s also good to note that one serve of eggs (2 large) provides vitamin B12 (58% RDI), folate (13% RDI), iron (21% RDI), vitamin E (10-14% RDI) and vitamin D (6% AI). Eating more than 6 eggs a week shouldn’t feel too eggs-treme, just keep your diet as balanced as possible. Hope I've cracked the egg for you and unscrambled some info for you! Until next time Xoxo