Eggs have been a staple food in the human diet for thousands
of years. From hunter-gatherers collecting eggs from the nests
of wild birds to the domestication of fowl for a more reliable
access to a supply of eggs to today’s genetically selected birds
and modern production facilities, eggs have long been recognized
as a source of high-quality protein and other important
nutrients. Over the years, eggs have become an essential ingredient
in many cuisines due to their many functional
properties such as water holding, emulsifying, and foaming.
An egg is a self-contained and self-sufficient embryonicdevelopment
chamber. At adequate temperature, the developing
embryo utilizes the extensive range of essential
nutrients in the egg for its growth and development. The necessary
proteins, lipids, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, and
functional nutrients are all sufficient for the transition from a
fertilized cell to a newborn chick. The nutrient needs for an
avian species are similar to human needs to make eggs an ideal
source of nutrients for us. (The one essential human nutrient
that eggs do not contain is ascorbic acid (vitamin C) because
non-passerine birds have an active gulonolactone oxidase and
synthesize ascorbic acid as needed.) This article summarizes the
varied nutrient contributions eggs make to the human diet.