Bórd Bia launches egg-citing campaign
A massive 248 million eggs are purchased in Ireland every year with sales last year increasing by 12% to €53 million.
Some 90% of households buy eggs every two to three weeks on average with the majority of sales taking place in Dublin, followed by Munster.
But research conducted for Bórd Bia has shown there is even more potential to grow consumption.
The independent nutritional review of eggs also confirmed that eating an egg a day is beneficial as part of a healthy, balanced diet.
Teresa Brophy, Ireland market manager with Bórd Bia, said while the report particularly highlights scope to increase egg consumption among younger people and women, sales have increased in recent years.
"To support this upward trend, Bórd Bia is undertaking a national promotional campaign coinciding with Easter. It will highlight the benefits of eating an egg a day and providing quick and easy meal ideas for eggs which go beyond the traditional breakfast fry."
The nutritional study on eggs, carried out for Bórd Bia by independent researchers, also dispels the popular misconception that cholesterol in food directly influences blood cholesterol.
Dr Sinead McCarthy, co-author, said cholesterol is a key nutrient in people's diets with many roles including cell formation and digestion.
"Our review of scientific studies on eggs promotes the consumption of an egg a day provided it is part of a balanced healthy diet that is overall low in fat with less than 11% of energy from saturated fat, high in fibre and high in fruit and vegetables," she said.
Edel Duffy, review co-author, said eggs can also be considered a 'functional food' as they contain components that may have benefits that go beyond basic nutrition.
