UK NEWS

THE BIG SCRAMBLE FOR EGGS

CRACKING: A healthy option

Monday January 28,2008

By Graham Hiscott Consumer Editor

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EGG sales are soaring at their fastest rate in 15 years on the back of a publicity drive to promote them to slimmers.

Britons bought £600million-worth of eggs last year – up 16 per cent on 2006, according to a report from industry analysts TNS.

The number of eggs sold rocketed by more than 100 million over the past 12 months.

Experts believe one reason for the rise has been a publicity campaign highlighting scientific evidence that eggs can help weight loss.

Andrew Parker, chairman of the British Egg Industry Council, said: “At the beginning of the year we put the focus on the health benefits of eggs, introducing a new TV advertising campaign.

“We capitalised on a wealth of scientific evidence showing that eggs can help you lose weight.

“For the egg market to show growth at this level, while value was increasing so rapidly, is unprecedented and shows no signs of abating.” Eggs are packed with nutrients, including protein, essential vitamins A, D, E, and B as well as minerals iron, phosphorus and zinc.

They are relatively low in saturated fat, making them a healthy fast food for all the family.

In addition, they are low in calories, with only about 80 calories per medium egg.

Recent research has shown that eating eggs for breakfast can help with slimming.

Researchers from Wayne State University, Detroit, found that when women were given either an egg or bagel-based breakfast, of equal calories, the women eating the eggs felt fuller and had less desire to eat other foods in the following 24 hours.

A research team from Louisiana State University also found that by having two eggs a day for breakfast, overweight and obese women lost weight.

The women in the study were asked to follow a low-calorie diet while eating either a bagel or egg-based breakfast.

The egg-eating women lost 65 per cent more weight than the bagel group and felt more energetic.