How many eggs?

There is no recommended limit on how many eggs people should eat. Eggs are a good choice as part of a healthy balanced diet. But remember that it's a good idea to eat as varied a diet as possible. This means we should be trying to eat a variety of foods each week to get the wide range of nutrients we need.

Eggs are a good source of:

• protein
• vitamin D
• vitamin A
• vitamin B2
• iodine

Eggs can make a really healthy meal. Why not try one of these for your breakfast, lunch or evening meal:

• Spanish omelettes with chunks of cooked potatoes (you could use leftover potatoes from last night's dinner) and onions served with steamed veg or a salad. All sorts of veg will work in the omelette - sweet potato, peppers, spring onions and mushrooms are all good choices.
• Poached egg and baked beans (choose reduced salt and sugar versions if you can) served on thick sliced toast makes a great brunch - you could serve it with grilled tomatoes or mushrooms.
• Scrambled eggs on thick slices of brown toast, add some spring onions or mushrooms and serve with grilled tomatoes.
• Boiled eggs chopped into a summer salad. If you include salad leaves, new potatoes, green beans, red onion, olives, boiled egg and some tuna, you will have yourself a filling salad nicoise.

But remember that quiches and flans can be high in fat and salt, so try not to eat these too often. The pastry is high in fat, and quiches and flans often contain cream and cheese, and sometimes bacon too, all of which add to the saturated fat and salt content.

If you are making your own quiche or flan, go easy on the cream and cheese - if you use a strong flavoured cheese you will only need to use a small amount. And add some vegetables such as broccoli, peppers and tomatoes.

Fried eggs are higher in fat than boiled, poached or scrambled eggs, but there's nothing wrong with having them occasionally. If you do want a fried egg, use an oil that is high in unsaturated fat such as sunflower oil. It's a good idea to drain off as much of the oil as you can and it will also help to put the egg on some kitchen paper before putting it on your plate.

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Eggs and cholesterol

Eggs contain cholesterol and high cholesterol levels in our blood increases our risk of heart disease.

However, the cholesterol we get from our food - and this includes eggs - has less effect on the amount of cholesterol in our blood than the amount of saturated fat we eat. So, if you are eating a balanced diet you only need to cut down on eggs if you have been told to do so by your GP or dietitian. If your GP has told you to watch your cholesterol levels, your priority should be cutting down on saturated fats.