A recent study found that consuming an egg a day can significantly increase growth and reduce stunting by 47 per cent in young children."Eggs can be affordable and easily accessible. It can be a good source of nutrients for growth and development in young children and have the potential to contribute to reduced growth stunting around the world. We were surprised by just how effective this intervention proved to be. The size of the effect was 0.63 compared to the 0.39 global average," said lead author Lora Iannotti from the Washington University in St. Louis.
The study, published in the journal Pediatrics, showed that those who ate one egg per day had a reduced prevalence of stunting by 47 per cent and underweight by 74 per cent.
The study team included children aged six to nine months to be given one egg per day for six months, versus a control group, which did not receive eggs.
“Eggs are a complete food, safely packaged and arguably more accessible in resource-poor populations than other complementary foods, specifically fortified foods. Eggs seem to be a viable and recommended source of nutrition for children in developing countries”, Iannotti added.
Eggs are an excellent source of high-quality protein and contain all the essential amino acids that your body needs to function properly. They're also rich in riboflavin and selenium. Eggs can also help you meet multi-vitamin deficiency. It contains folate, pantothenic acid and phosphorus. Protein, as well as vitamins A and D, are especially important for height growth, particularly during childhood. As a rich source of these nutrients, eggs do a play a role in helping you gain height and weight.
