Join A Global Celebration This World Egg Day

If you’re feeling a little overrun by rugby fever, why not kick-start your morning by enjoying a delicious, energy boosting egg-inspired breakfast this World Egg Day, on Friday October 14th.

By enjoying eggs for breakfast you’ll be joining a worldwide celebration of one of the most versatile foods on the market.

Eggs are a great way to start any day, New Zealand Nutrition Foundation Dietitian Sarah Hanrahan says. “An egg and a slice of wholegrain toast contain all the nutrition and energy you need to keep you going throughout the morning.”

Whether you’re a traditional poached, fried or scrambled egg fan, or love a hearty plate of French toast or a delicious omelette, World Egg Day is a chance to further prove your adoration of this nutritious and delicious food.

Eggs have fed hungry mouths around the globe for centuries and are an undeniable nutritional powerhouse, boasting 11 different vitamins and minerals, high quality protein, healthy fats (including omegas-3) and important antioxidants.

For children the taste and simplicity of egg soldiers is just as enticing as other mouth-watering goodies made with eggs such as pancakes and mousse. Plus, proteins contained within eggs assist in our young ones’ brain and muscle development.

For families they’re an unbeatable combination of incredible versatility, high-quality protein and affordability, making eggs an obvious choice for the weekly shop. “Eggs are one of the foods we recommend to always keep in the cupboard or fridge,” Hanrahan says. “Not only can they make a quick, nutritious meal by themselves, they are also a great way to extend more expensive ingredients like meat.”

From its inception in 1996 at the International Egg Commission conference in Vienna, World Egg Day has now spread around the globe with America, China, Australia, Europe (and more) all helping to raise awareness of the vast nutritional benefits of the humble egg.

Kick off your day the right way and join egg lovers all over the globe this World Egg Day by having eggs for breakfast in your favourite form. Get the entire household involved and encourage others to do the same.
 

INTERESTING EGG FACTS!

• Eggs are a nutritional powerhouse providing 11 different vitamins and minerals, high quality protein, healthy fats (including omegas-3) and important antioxidants
• Vitamins and minerals include:
  • Selenium (antioxidant which protects our body and immune system)
  • Folate (for growth and maintenance of healthy cells)
  • Pantothenic acid (Vitamin B5 ) (releases energy from our food for our body to use)
  • Vitamin B12 (for brain and nervous system functions and blood formation)
  • Vitamin A (for growth and eye health)
  • Iodine (to ensure proper function of our thyroid gland)
  • Vitamin E (antioxidant to protect our bodies against disease)
  • Phosphorous (helps build strong bones and teeth)
  • Iron (to produce haemoglobin which carries oxygen around our bodies)
  • Thiamine (to turn carbohydrates into energy our body can use)
  • Zinc (helps in growth, wound healing, blood formation and maintenance of tissues)
  • Vitamin D (important in bone health)
• Egg yolks are one of the few foods that naturally contain Vitamin D
• Eggs contain antioxidants lutein and zeaxanthin, which are thought to be protective in the prevention of eye disease
• Eggs are an important source of complete protein for vegetarians. One egg = 1 ounce of lean meat, fish or poultry
• Eggs are a ‘complete protein’, meaning they contain all the essential amino acids needed for healthy body functions

• For their weight eggs provide the highest quality protein of all foods

• The protein in eggs is highly digestible and may provide satiety (keeping you fuller for longer), which helps weight management
• Eggs are one of today's best food buys. Eggs supply high-quality protein and a variety of important vitamins and minerals at a very low price
• New Zealander’s consume 85 million eggs a year which equates to 231 eggs per person, and average of 4.4 eggs per week¹
• Kiwis can be reassured eating up to six eggs per week is recognised as a part of healthy, balanced diet for most people, according to the New Zealand Nutrition Foundation
• Eggs are nutritious for many pets as well as humans and are often an important part of prepared pet food formulas. Eggs can improve animal fur and coat health and maintain eyesight

EGG TIPS

• To tell if an egg is raw or hard-cooked, spin it! If the egg spins easily, it is hard-cooked but if it wobbles, it is raw
• Test the freshness of a raw egg by placing it in a bowl of water. If it’s fresh it will stay at the bottom, however an older egg will float because of the large air cell that forms in its base
• If an egg is accidentally dropped on the floor, sprinkle it heavily with salt for easy clean up
• Eggs age more in one day at room temperature than in one week in the refrigerator

DID YOU KNOW?

• A hen requires 24 to 26 hours to produce an egg. Thirty minutes later, she starts all over again
• The eggshell may have as many as 17,000 tiny pores over its surface. Through them, the egg can absorb flavours and odours
• The egg shell accounts for about 9 to 12% of its total weight
• Hens with white feathers and ear lobes produce white shelled eggs. Hens with red or brown feathers and red ear lobes produce brown shelled eggs
• Yolk colour depends on the diet of the hen. Natural yellow-orange substances such as marigold petals may be added to light-coloured feeds to enhance colours
• Shell thickness is also related to egg size, which, in turn, is related to the hen's age. As the hen ages, egg size increases. The same amount of shell material which covers a smaller egg must be ‘stretched’ to cover a larger one, hence the shell is thinner
• A pullet is a ‘young’ hen (like a heifer is a ‘young’ cow)
• According to the Guinness Book of Records a Black Minorca hen in Lancashire, England laid the largest chicken egg back in 1896. It had five yolks, was 16 centimetres long and had a diameter of 11 centimetres!