1. PROTEIN If you start your weekday with cereal or toast instead of eggs, here’ s a wake-up call: Did you know eggs have 6 grams of high-quality protein? And did you know a protein-packed breakfast helps sustain mental and physical energy throughout the day? That’ s good news, especially if you’ re a body-building chess champion.

2. GOT CHOLINE? Eggs are rich in choline, which is a weird word but it’ s a“ good weird” because choline promotes normal cell activity, liver function and the transportation of nutrients throughout the body. Think of it as a commuter train for vitamins and minerals.

3. ZERO CARBS NO SUGAR Eggs contain zero carbs and no sugar. That means you can eat a well-rounded breakfast during the

week without feeling round yourself.

4. AMINO ACIDS Eggs have all 9 essential amino acids. Seems like a lot but remember – they ARE essential.

5. MORE FOOD FOR THOUGHT Unlike most cereals and yogurt, eggs don’ t come with a complicated, jam-packed ingredient list because they only contain one ingredient. It’ s called“ eggs.” And at 17 ¢ a serving, eggs are the least expensive source of high-quality protein. That’ s right, 17 ¢.

6. NO GLUTEN? NO PROBLEM. Let’ s not forget that eggs are naturally gluten-free. Always have been, always will be. And that’ s awesome because there isn’ t exactly a glut of gluten-free breakfast options.

INCREDIBLE, ISN’ T IT? Most cereals and yogurts can’ t say all this, mainly because they don’ t have mouths, but also because they don’ t have the nutrient content eggs do. So next time someone asks how you like your eggs, say you like‘ em a whole heck of a lot. Wake Up To Eggs!

Source: American Egg Board

The yolk is the yellow part of the egg. It is the major source of vitamins, minerals and fat from the egg. It also contains about half of the protein. Some egg yolks are more yellow than others because... you are what you eat.

Hens that eat feed containing yellow corn and alfalfa meal lay eggs with medium yellow yolks, while those hens eating wheat or barley lay eggs with lighter colored yolks.• A diet made up of colorless foods, like white cornmeal, produces almost colorless yolks.

... And all for just 70 calories

The Colorado Reader publication and Ag in the Classroom are projects of the Colorado Foundation for Agriculture. Educational projects are produced in cooperation with the Colorado Department of Agriculture, other state and federal agencies, Colorado commodity groups, Colorado agricultural associations, state universities and colleges and interested individuals. Colorado Readers are provided free to educators requesting them. For more information contact: Bette Blinde, Colorado Foundation for Agriculture, P. O. Box 10, Livermore, CO 80536 or phone 970 881.2902 or e-mail bblinde @ growingyourfuture. com. Financial support for this reader has been provided by: Colorado Egg Producers Association. www. growingyourfuture. com 5