Eating eggs can be really good for you, especially for kids. Eggs are full of important stuff that helps your body stay healthy. They have something called protein, which is like a superhero for your body. This protein is measured by something called the PDCAAS (protein digestibility-corrected amino acid score), and the higher the number, the better it is for you.

For kids between 6 months and 5 years old, eggs score an impressive 118% on the PDCAAS scale. This beats other foods like meat and fish (92-94%), soy )90-93%), and cereals (rice, wheat, corn) (35-57%) (1). Eggs are also affordable, making them a great choice for families who might not have a lot of money.

But, there’s a catch. Egg whites have something called protease inhibitors, which can make it a bit tricky for our bodies to use all the protein (2). The good news is that cooking eggs destroys these inhibitors, making the protein more accessible.

Different places in the world eat eggs in different amounts. In Latin America, lots of kids eat eggs, while in places like Asia or Africa, not as many do (3). In some countries, like Nepal, religion might be a reason some people don’t eat eggs (4). But in Ethiopia, eggs are seen as a vital food for kids to grow strong, both in physically and mentally (5).

Sadly, in some poorer countries, kids miss out on eggs and other protein-packed foods early on. This can lead to problems like kwashiorkor, a type of malnutrition (6). Luckily, studies have shown that introducing eggs into a child’s diet can really help. For example, in China, adding eggs made kids grow better (7). In Ecuador, eating one egg a day for six months reduced stunting by 47% and underweight by 74% in children (8). This means eggs are like magic food for helping kids grow well.

Some countries are trying to make sure more families eat eggs, especially those who might be struggling (9). Programs like the homestead food production model (HFP) have worked in places like Cambodia (10). They teach families about nutrition and taking care of animals, which leads to more egg-eating. In Indonesia, a big advertising push convinced people to eat more eggs and veggies, boosting vitamin A levels and plasma retinol (11).

However, not every plan has worked. Some attempts in Bangladesh (12) and Egypt (13) didn’t do so well. But because eggs can make kids grow better and prevent malnutrition, it’s crucial to tell families about the benefits of this affordable and nutritious food. Eggs are like a secret weapon against health problems, and everyone should know about it, especially those who might not have a lot of money.

Other interesting articles:

Healthy Diet for Adults and Children

The Science Behind Fasting: How Skipping Meals Could Boost Your Health

References

1. Tome, D. Criteria and markers for protein quality assessment-A review. Br. J. Nutr. 2012, 108, S222–S229
2. Stanciuc, N.; Cretu, A.A.; Banu, I.; Aprodu, I. Advances on the impact of thermal processing on structure and antigenicity of chicken ovomucoid. J. Sci. Food Agric. 2018, 98, 3119–3128
3. Iannotti, L.L.; Lutter, C.K.; Bunn, D.A.; Stewart, C.P. Eggs: The uncracked potential for improving maternal and young child nutrition among the world’s poor. Nutr. Rev. 2014, 72, 355–368.
4. Pachón, H.; Simondon, K.B.; Fall, S.T.; Menon, P.; Ruel, M.T.; Hotz, C.; Creed-Kanashiro, H.; Arce, B.; Domínguez, M.R.; Frongillo, E.A.; et al. Constraints on the delivery of animal source foods to infants and young children: Case studies from five countries. Food Nutr. Bull. 2007, 28, 215–229.
5. Alive & Thrive. Infant and Young Child Feeding in Communities: A Rapid Assessment in Tigray and SNNPR, Ethiopia; Alive & Thrive: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 2010.
6. Jinadu, M.K.; Ojofeitimi, E.O.; Sifor, E.O. Feeding patterns of children with protein-energy malnutrition in Nigeria. Trop. Doct. 1986, 16, 82–85.
7. Cao, J.; Wei, X.; Tang, X.; Jiang, H.; Fan, Z.; Yu, Q.; Chen, J.; Liu, Y.; Li, T. Effects of egg and Vitamin A supplementation on hemoglobin, retinol status and physical growth of primary and middle school students in Chongqing, China. Asia Pac. J. Clin. Nutr. 2013, 22, 214–221
8. Ianannotti, L.L.; Lutter, C.K.; Stewart, C.P.; Gallegos Riofrio, C.A.; Malo, C.; Reignhar, G.; Walters, W.F. Eggs in early complementary feeding and child growth. A randomized controlled trial. Pediatrics 2017, 140, e20163459
9. Iananotti, L.; Cunningham, K.; Ruel, M.T. Diversifying into healthy diets: Homestead food production in Bangladesh. In Millions Fed: Proven Success in Agricultural Development; Spielman, D.J., Pandya-Lorch, R., Eds.; International Policy Research Institute: Washington, DC, USA, 2009; pp. 145–151.
10. Olney, D.K.; Talukder, A.; Iannotti, L.L.; Ruel, M.T.; Quinn, V. Assessing impact and impact pathways of a homestead food production program on household and child nutrition in Cambodia. Food Nutr. Bull. 2009, 30, 355–369.
11. De Pee, S.; Bloem, M.W.; Satoto; Yip, R.; Sukaton, A.; Tjiong, R.; Shrimpton, R.; Muhilal Kodyat, B. Impact of a social marketing campaign promoting dark-green leafy vegetables and eggs in central Java, Indonesia. Int. J. Vitam. Res. 1998, 68, 389–398.
12. Nielsen, H.; Roos, N.; Thisted, S.H. The impact of semi-scavenging poultry production on the consumption of animal source foods by women and girls in Bangladesh. J. Nutr. 2003, 133, 4027S–4030S.
13. Gala, O.M.; Harrison, G.G.; Abdou, A.I.; Zein el Abedin, A. The impact of a small scale agricultural intervention on socio-economic and health status. Food Nutr. 1987, 13, 35–43.