In a study presented at the American Society for Nutrition’s 2015 Annual Meeting, scientists from Purdue University gave participants three different versions of a salad featuring raw tomatoes, shredded carrots, baby spinach, romaine lettuce, and goji berries: One had no egg, the second had 1.5 scrambled eggs, and a third had 3 scrambled eggs. Blood tests taken before and after the meals showed that those who ate the most egg with their veggies hiked their absorption of carotenoids, including beta-carotene, alpha-carotene, lycopene, lutein, and zeaxanthin, 3 to 9-fold. MORE: 9 Internet Nutrition Myths That Just Won’t Go Away “The presence of eggs enhanced absorption of the carotenoids in all the vegetables to a significant degree—by 500% at a minimum,” says senior study author Wayne Campbell, PhD, professor of nutrition science, Purdue University. “Carotenoids are fat-soluble provitamins, so when the oils in the egg yolk are absorbed, the carotenoids go along for the ride.” (Eating only the egg whites won’t work, Campbell adds, because they’re fat free. It’s all about the fats in the yolk—no need to worry about the extra cholesterol.)MORE:10 Easy Egg Recipes Made With Just 5 Ingredients Campbell’s team previously demonstrated the same uptick in nutrient absorption with unsaturated oils such as canola and soy. That means the oil in your salad dressing will likely serve the same purpose as an egg, minus the nutrients from the egg. You’ll get also get this effect with avocado, with its rich supply of monounsaturated fats. Back to the eggs. Not only can eating them help enhance the value of your veggies, but they’re a nutritional powerhouse in their own right. Considered the gold standard of high-quality protein (7 grams for only 70 calories), eggs also come with iron, vitamins, minerals, and their own carotenoids. And contrary to popular belief, they’re safe to eat for most of us, as a recent scientific report from the 2015 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee lessened its concern over eggs’ relatively high cholesterol content. MORE: 10 Brilliant Uses For Eggshells As a bonus, adding eggs to your regular menu may also reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes, according to new research in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
