Eggs are the produce of chickens and ducks. Most commonly it is chicken eggs, which are sold and used in processed products. Eggs can come in many forms, boiled, poached, fried, scrambled and omelette. They are also used in baking, mayonnaise, custard, mousse, margarine, meringue and ice cream. Eggs can be separated into egg white and egg yolk, sometimes only part of the egg is used.
With the Vegan diet having grown in popularity over the past few years there are now many egg-free products available in grocery stores. Recipes such as vegan scrambled eggs, using tofu and nutritional yeast, mean favourite egg recipes can still be enjoyed. For baking in particular there are ‘no-egg’ products, which can be used in recipes.
Nutrition
Eggs are a nutritious food, they are a good source of protein, contain omega 3 and 6 as well as vitamin A, B2, B6, folic acid, B12, vitamin D, iron, phosphorus, zinc and selenium. How the egg is prepared may positively or negatively affect the nutrient value, for example hard-boiling or poaching an egg is a healthier method of cooking it than frying.
Replacing key nutrients when eliminating eggs
When eliminating items from the diet whether for the short term when implementing an elimination diet or for the long term, it is important to know alternative items that can be introduced into the diet to maintain nutrient balance. Below are the richest sources of each nutrient.
B Vitamins
Oats, buckwheat, brown rice, rye, whole wheat, peanuts, mushrooms, pecans, sunflower seeds, lentils, cashews, chickpeas, broccoli
Beta Carotene (Precursor to vitamin A)
Sweet potato, carrots, kale, spinach, collards, Swiss chard, pak choi, butternut squash, pumpkin, lettuce
Vitamin A (Retinol)
Liver, beef, lamb, cod liver oil, mackerel, salmon, tuna, paté, eggs
Calcium
Watercress, kale, broccoli, low fat mozzarella (buffalo), pak choi, tofu, sugar snap peas, almonds
Vitamin D
Salmon, trout, swordfish, mackerel, tuna, mushrooms, fortified products
B12
Oysters, mussels, scallops, liver, mackerel, tuna, salmon, sardines, crab, beef, eggs
Phosphorus
Brown rice, oats, rye, whole wheat, quinoa, chicken, turkey, pork, scallops, salmon, pumpkin seeds, Brazil nuts, pine nuts, almonds
Selenium
Brazil nuts, brown rice, rye, whole wheat, mushrooms, shrimp, sardines, oysters, tuna, sunflower seeds, liver, eggs, beef, turkey
Potassium
Dried apricots, salmon, mackerel, tuna, monkfish, white beans, lentils, kidney beans, avocado, butternut squash, spinach, mushrooms, bananas, potatoes
