Eggs: a nearly perfect food

It was a goose, or maybe a duck, and it was in China. According to poultry historians, it would be another 2,000 years before our classic laying hen made her appearance -- in India, no less.

Eggs were finally introduced to the western world during the fifth century, brought here by sailors who wisely kept a few hens on their ships. The day the first laying hen landed in North America should have gone down in history, right along with Christopher Columbus.

Eggs are a nearly perfect food, containing almost every nutrient essential to sustaining life -- thus their role as total life support for the embryonic chick.

The protein in egg white is of such high quality that it has become the standard against which other proteins are judged.

Egg yolk contains a great whack of vitamins and minerals including vitamin A, B12, D, E, riboflavin, folic acid, iron, zinc and phosphorus, selenium and choline. It is one of the few sources of vitamin K.

But they weren't perfect, and a couple of decades ago, food scientists discovered that they could modify the egg to add value. Commonly referred to as "designer eggs," today's egg menu includes several versions tailored to a variety of special dietary needs, as explained in the following information from Alberta Agriculture:

- Omega-3 eggs -- Higher levels of omega-3 fats are created when hens are fed diets rich in flaxseed (10 to 20 per cent), a food source that's high in omega-3, which has been associated with a lower risk of heart disease in people who eat it regularly.

- Vitamin-enhanced eggs -- Hens are fed diets rich in vitamins E, folate, B6 and B12. Nutrients vary among brands and depend on what the chickens were fed.

- Organic eggs -- With the same nutritional status as regular eggs, organic eggs are from hens that are fed certified organic grain. The carton must list the designation and certifying organization.

- Vegetarian eggs -- No juicy worms here! These eggs are from hens that are fed diets that contain no animal protein.

- Free run -- Hens aren't fed a special diet, but they're allowed to run around the barn floor, nesting boxes or perches.

- Free range -- Similar to free-run eggs, free-range eggs come from hens that are allowed to go outdoors when the weather permits.

Eggs are now considered to be a functional food -- a food that supplies basic nutritional needs, but also plays an important role in the healthy development of the body.

They may also be helpful in weight loss. With obesity becoming epidemic, medical researchers are devoting more time to studies.

One study at the University of Illinois found that eating high-quality protein, such as the protein found in eggs, helped overweight and obese people shed pounds.

Another one concluded that eating eggs keeps dieters on the straight and narrow by leaving them feeling full, satisfied, even satiated.

Those who had an egg-based breakfast (as opposed to a starch-based breakfast) ate an average of 163 fewer calories for lunch the same day, and about 418 fewer calories over a 24-hour period.

It seems that the essential amino acid leucine, which is found in eggs, helps to reduce loss of muscle tissue, promotes loss of body fat and helps stabilize blood glucose levels, thus preventing the sugar spiking that plagues dieters.

In ongoing studies, eating high-quality protein at breakfast seems to be the key to long-term weight loss and maintenance.

Other clinical studies show that eggs contribute to the prevention of chronic age-related conditions like coronary heart disease, loss of muscle mass, age-related macular degeneration, hearing loss and memory loss.

All in all, your average egg is a bargain in nutrition. You could even call it an egg-cellent food.