If you’ve been skipping the yolk for years, you’re missing out on some key ingredients. Joy Bauer said eggs have choline, which is found in the yolk. “Choline helps to enhance cognitive function, mood, and memory. It keeps our brains smart and sharp, and it also helps with developing brains,” Bauer said. “It’s very, very important throughout the whole entire life cycle: It’s good for kids as their brains are growing. It’s good for [adults] as we’re looking to maintain and enhance our cognitive function. And it’s really good for seniors who want to slow down age-related cognitive function.” Bauer said 90% of Americans don’t get enough choline each day, but an egg yolk gives you about 30% of your recommended intake of choline.
Eggs also have B vitamins for energy, biotin for healthy hair and nails, and vitamin D that helps our bodies absorb calcium. Egg yolks also have lutein and zeaxanthin, which are two antioxidants that support your eye health. “We’re on the computers all day long, whether it’s our computer or iPhone,” Bauer said. “All that blue light that it emits and radiates, we’re able to absorb some of that by making sure that we’re getting enough of these two antioxidants, lutein and zeaxanthin, because they work together as a team.”