What the changing fortunes of eggs tell us about nutrition, food trends and health

What is an egg? Five grams of fat, a bit of it saturated, and slightly more monounsaturated; the type of fat found in olive oil. A fair amount of cholesterol. A good source of vitamin D and vitamin B12. Around 25 per cent of the daily intake of selenium, used by the body to make antioxidant defences. On top of that there’s 25g of protein in a large egg, which is important for building muscle.
Reading all this, you might imagine that eggs would be an unequivocal candidate for superfood status, alongside the likes of kale, avocado and acai berries.
“There’s no such thing as a superfood, but if there were, eggs would be a good candidate,” says Ian Marber, nutritionist and health writer as we chat ahead of today’s World Egg Day celebrations. “They are an interesting food because they come in their own little packet. They’re versatile and