Now that the latest report by the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee has removed egg cholesterol from the list of substances harmful to health, the discovery by Purdue University takes on an even more positive light. According to the experts, adding eggs occasionally to a plate of raw vegetables means that the carotenoids present in the vegetables are better absorbed by the body — to the great benefit of one's health. Beta-carotene, alpha-carotene, lycopene, lutein and zeaxanthin act as effective anti-cancer agents, protect against heart disease and eye disease, and are highly beneficial for the skin. Lutein and zeaxanthin, moreover, are also found in eggs.

The study showing how eggs promote the absorption of antioxidants from vegetables

The researchers carried out their test involving sixteen healthy young men, asking them to eat three different versions of a salad, all built on the same base of antioxidant foods such as carrots, tomatoes, spinach, romaine lettuce and goji berries. One version contained no eggs, another contained one and a half whole scrambled eggs, and the last contained three whole scrambled eggs. The result was that those who had eaten the largest quantity of eggs recorded an absorption of antioxidants from vegetables three to nine times higher. The study found that consuming three eggs contributed to the absorption of 10 per cent of total lutein and 14 per cent of total zeaxanthin, while the other three types of carotenoids were derived exclusively from the salad.

"This is a way to increase the nutritional value of vegetables but also to receive the nutritional benefits of egg yolks," explained Professor Wayne Campbell, the author of the research.

The findings of the research will be presented at the American society for nutrition's annual meeting during Experimental biology 2015.