My big hairy Irishman is allergic to eggs. Properly allergic, in an epi-pen wielding kind of way. I can’t tell you how annoying this is. Which is rich coming from me, who doesn’t eat gluten or dairy… or mussels, oysters, snails or anything else slippery (ugh, gross). I am far worse I know! The egg embargo is only annoying because eggs are so amazingly easy for breakfast or dinner. The healthiest breakfast in the land? A veggie omelette with a side of berries. The quickest dinner you ever made? Smoked salmon and scrambled eggs (add a side of spinach too). Ah well, if life was easy, would it be this fun? (My answer to this varies, depending on the day!) To be clear, the Irishman is NOT annoying, he’s amazing. It’s just the eggs!

Every now and then I still meet someone who still worries that eggs are bad for them. Generally, these are people with high cholesterol. The misinformation is a spill-over from the days when people thought that eating cholesterol gave you high cholesterol and although that might seem logical, it’s not actually the case (except if you have Familial Hypercholesterolemia, in which case, avoid eggs). Foods that raise bad cholesterol tend to include deep fried foods and processed meats, but it’s also an absence of healthy foods that cause a problem – namely, fibre (and for some people, Omega 3).

The beauty of fibre is this. We all know that fibre makes you poop. But it also binds to bile salts in the digestive tract. And when you poop, you poop out these bile salts. The thing is, bile salts are essential for digestion, so now you need to make more. And you make more, by using up circulating LDL cholesterol. So, the more fibre you eat, the more bile salts you poop out, the more bile salts you need to make... and the more LDL (bad) cholesterol you use up in the process. It’s genius.

What this means is that preventing high cholesterol is more about packing in the fibre than it is about NOT eating eggs. ideally your fibre will come mainly from tons of vegetables, but also from fruit, seeds (flax, pumpkin, sunflower, hemp, chia) and wholegrains such as oats and brown rice. And your eggs – well they can come almost any way! Just ideally not heavily fried.

Why am I such a staunch supporter of eggs? Because they are packed with a ridiculous number of nutrients. They are an affordable, everyday superfood – right there at our fingertips. If you can afford organic eggs, even better. You are what you eat, but you are what you eat eats too. Organic eggs from chickens fed a healthier diet, who have more access to grass and insects, are more rich in Omega 3 (also heart-healthy). But any eggs will do!

Interestingly, the majority of the nutrients are in the yolk whereas the white contains protein only. So although egg-whites are a great source of protein, it’s a good idea to include the yolks too. Some of the star nutrients in the yolk include B12, B2, vitamin A, B5 and Selenium, but you’ll find almost every vitamin and mineral required by the human body. (I suppose that makes sense if you think about what eggs actually are… apologies to the vegans out there!)

One of my favourite nutrients in eggs is choline. It’s part of the B-complex group and supports cognitive function (you can also find choline in chicken and edamame). They are rich in lutein and zeaxanthin too – both powerful antioxidants that support eye health. And here’s a final motivator for you; eggs are super high in the satiety index, meaning that you feel more full on the same number of calories of eggs, than you would for example with bagels. Picking nutrient-dense options has always been key to maintaining a healthy body composition. If you eat sufficient calories but insufficient nutrients, then your body will continue to send you hunger signals.

So as I mentioned earlier, one of the healthiest breakfasts I can think of – and one I recommend to my clients all the time – is a vegetable omelette (spinach, peppers, onions, garlic) with a side of berries (for some healthy anti-oxidant rich carbs). However, you don’t need a recipe for an omelette (I hope!) so here’s our wonderful Shakshuka recipe instead. This is a great weekend option, when you have a little more time. It’s a baked egg dish with a rich tomato sauce and lots of herbs and spinach for a splash of gorgeous green. It’s so delicious – definitely worth the time and effort – about 30 minutes, start to finish.

Healthy Shakshuka (serves 2)

Ingredients

1 tbsp light olive oil

1 small red onion, cut into thin wedges

1 red pepper, finely sliced

1 yellow pepper, finely sliced

3 large garlic cloves, crushed

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 tsp coriander seeds, crushed

1 heaped tsp sweet smoked paprika

400 g can cherry or chopped tomatoes

Big handful fresh baby spinach

4 medium eggs

1/2 small bunch coriander, roughly chopped

Method

Heat the oil in a large, non-stick frying pan. Add the onion and peppers and fry over a medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes until the veg is beginning to soften. Add the garlic, cumin, coriander and paprika and fry for one minute more. Tip in the tomatoes, spinach and 100ml water and bubble until the spinach has wilted, then lower to a simmer and cook, uncovered, for ten minutes. Season to taste.

Make four indentations in the tomato mixture and gently crack an egg into each one. Cover with a lid or foil and cook over a gentle heat for 8 to10 minutes, or until the eggs are just set. Uncover, scatter with the fresh herbs and serve.

• The advice given in this article is not intended to replace medical advice, but to complement it. Always consult your GP if you have any health concerns. Catherine Burns BA Hons, Dip ION, BNTA is a fully qualified Nutritional Therapist trained by the Institute for Optimum Nutrition in the Britain. She works at Waterfront Wellness in Bermuda. Join Catherine on Facebook: www.facebook.com/nutrifitandnaturalnutritionbermuda or instagram @naturalbda.