Two new papers back the idea: ‘Exploring reasons for the consumption and non-consumption of eggs in people over 55 years old’ and ‘Towards a food-based intervention to increase protein intakes in older adults: challenges to and facilitators of egg consumption’, after investigating how eggs could increase protein intake and help prevent muscle decline in older people.
Suggesting that there are two main types of ‘egg eaters’ – those who consume eggs on a habitual basis and those who use them in a lot of dishes and recipes – main reasons why over 55 year olds eat eggs include: easier to prepare than other protein foods; less time, skill and effort required; eating, sensory and physical abilities.
They are also liked for their flavour – participants agreed that eggs are ‘tasty’ and add variety to the diet – while claims that eggs are not good value for money “surprised” the British Egg Industry Council.
Study co-author, Katherine Appleton, said: “The number and range of reasons provided for eating or not eating eggs are interesting, but the comments that combine the characteristics of eggs with the impacts of age on eating are particularly valuable.
“Our results suggest that strategies to increase egg consumption should focus on improving tastiness and adding variety; promoting eggs as an everyday food; reducing stereotypes about who does and does not consume eggs; and promoting eggs for people who have noticed the effects of ageing on their food intake.”
With participants largely agreeing that ageing decreases their appetite, the British Egg Industry Council said “simple everyday recipes that involve well known combinations of eggs and other foods (such as bacon or ham) may be particularly successful” for increasing egg consumption among elders, as could recipes for novel dishes to increase taste, flavour and variety.