Why eggs are the ultimate brain-boosting breakfast for kids

Eggs are one of Mother Nature’s superfoods! And if you’re looking for a quick, easy, and truly nourishing breakfast for your child, then eggs are hard to beat! At NatureDoc, we call them “clever eggs” because they’re packed with choline, a superstar nutrient that supports learning and memory.

You can vary how you give eggs to your children by giving them boiled, poached, scrambled, or in omelettes, pancakes and waffles – and below you will find lots of ways to weave eggs into your child’s diet – especially at breakfast time.

Most children thrive on eating plenty of eggs, and yes, the scientific evidence now finds that kids can eat them every day! In this blog, I share why eggs are a genuine health food, especially for developing brains.

Why eggs deserve a spot on your breakfast table

Brain power

The choline in egg yolks helps the body to produce acetylcholine, which is a neurotransmitter that supports learning, focus and memory.  It also plays a key role in self-regulation and emotional balance, and it can help children stay calm and ready to learn. Including plenty of eggs in your child’s diet can be especially supportive for those with learning differences or who are easily dysregulated or overwhelmed. Eggs are excellent for us adults too, and it has been shown that eating them regularly can help prevent cognitive decline thanks to their brain-boosting choline content.

Protein punch

Each medium-sized egg contains about 6g of high-quality protein. The protein in eggs contains 22 vital amino acids, which are the key building blocks of protein. This protein punch can help your children feel fuller for longer and help them to maintain more stable blood-glucose levels, so your child can get the most out of school or weekend activities.

One egg contains around 250mg of the amino acid tyrosine, which helps to build and regulate your key neurotransmitters, including dopamine and norepinephrine (adrenaline). This information is vital to know if you are a parent of a child who has an ADHD-type brain or gets overly anxious.

Try adding an egg or two to their breakfast, and the protein should help with satiety and a calm, focused mood.

An all-in-one multi-nutrient

Eggs are a natural multivitamin and mineral – they are packed with so much goodness, each one containing almost every vitamin and mineral children need to thrive.

• Egg yolks are rich in B vitamins, including vitamins B12, B5 and B6, as well as biotin. These are all essential for maintaining nerve health and optimal brain function. Vitamin B12 is vital for energy and the nervous system, while B6 is vital for the sensory and neurological system.
• They are a key source of zinc, a mighty mineral which helps to stabilise mood swings and can help with learning.
• Eggs from chickens that peck on flaxseeds contain more omega-3 than eggs from chickens that feed on grain. So, choose your eggs wisely!
• They are one of the few natural food sources of vitamin D, which supports bone health, immune function and mood stability. During the autumn and winter months, eggs make a good source for maintaining vitamin D levels.
• The yolks contain the powerful antioxidants lutein and zeaxanthin which protect eye health from the damage from screens and UVA. They help reduce oxidative stress, which is crucial for cell repair.
• Eggs provide selenium, a trace mineral that supports thyroid health and acts as an antioxidant to protect cells from damage.
• They also contain iron, which is vital for energy production and oxygen transport in the blood. This is particularly important for children’s growth and development, as well as their concentration.

There is also preliminary evidence to suggest that consuming eggs can enhance the diversity of the gut microbiome, and I look forward to seeing more research on this topic.

What about the cholesterol?

Historically, government boffins advised us to limit our egg consumption to a few eggs a week due to the cholesterol content in eggs. However, that idea has been debunked, and it seems the cholesterol found in egg yolks is in fact, the friendly helpful HDL form that we need to keep our cardiovascular system healthy.

For most healthy people, moderate egg consumption does not increase the risk of heart disease. In fact, eggs can improve your overall blood lipid profile by increasing HDL beneficial cholesterol and lowering the unhealthy blood fats called triglycerides.

Fun ways to serve eggs

One of the best things about eggs is their versatility. Here are some ideas to keep breakfast egg-citing:

• Boiled eggs – dippy eggs are the ultimate nursery food – and boil an extra one to pop into their lunchbox too.
• Poached or scrambled – these are quick and easy and pair with avocado and toast.
• Omelettes – add veggies such as spring onion and red peppers as well as cheese for extra nutrients.
• Egg-based pancakes, muffins or waffles can make a fun twist for picky eaters.
• French toast or eggy bread – dip bread in egg and fry to make a crunchy protein protein-rich toast
• Porridge booster – crack an egg in the oats whilst cooking and stir well – they will never spot the hidden egg!

Variety keeps breakfast fun and helps kids embrace this brain-boosting food.

What if they are allergic or intolerant to eggs?

If your child needs to avoid eggs due to an allergy or intolerance to eggs, or you are vegan, it can be hard to navigate egg-free options and get enough nutrients into them. Thankfully there are some easy hacks which I share in here in my blog Your egg-free hacks for any recipe.

Round up

If you’re looking for a breakfast that ticks all the boxes for nutrient-dense that are quick, easy, nourishing and loved by kids then eggs are your answer.

And if feel you are in a food rut when it comes to eggs, have a peak at my NatureDoc recipe finder for egg-tastic food inspiration with lots of mouthwatering recipes that I have created for you. Have fun exploring!

NB. This is an update from the original post published on September 2, 2015.

References

• Eggs: Healthy or Risky? A Review of Evidence from High Quality Studies on Hen’s Eggs
• Patterns of Egg Consumption Can Help Contribute to Nutrient Recommendations and Are Associated with Diet Quality and Shortfall Nutrient Intakes
• Prolonged Egg Supplement Advances Growing Child’s Growth and Gut Microbiota
• Increasing Egg Consumption at Breakfast Is Associated with Increased Usual Nutrient Intakes: A Modeling Analysis Using NHANES and the USDA Child and Adult Care Food Program School Breakfast Guidelines  
• Consuming Two Eggs per Day, as Compared to an Oatmeal Breakfast, Decreases Plasma Ghrelin while Maintaining the LDL/HDL Ratio
• Consumption of Eggs Alone or Enriched with Annatto (Bixa orellana L.) Does Not Increase Cardiovascular Risk in Healthy Adults—A Randomized Clinical Trial, the Eggant Study
• Anti-Inflammatory Potential of n-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids Enriched Hen Eggs Consumption in Improving Microvascular Endothelial Function of Healthy Individuals—Clinical Trial
• Egg intake moderates the rate of memory decline in healthy older adults
• Egg intake has no adverse association with blood lipids or glucose in adolescent girls
• Association between egg consumption and risk of obesity: A comprehensive review
• Intake of 3 Eggs per Day When Compared to a Choline Bitartrate Supplement, Downregulates Cholesterol Synthesis without Changing the LDL/HDL Ratio
• The Cholesterol myth has been busted – yet again
• The Cholesterol Confusion -Separating Myth from Medical Reality