With spring right around the corner the commonly celebrated holiday of Easter is also soon approaching. If you have kids, that typically includes dying and decorating eggs as part of your festivities. But there’s much more to this incredibly nutritious food than just being able to decorate it—be sure to eat it too! Here are 5 of the most important reasons why.

1. GOOD FOR THE EYES

Eggs contain two caroteniods, lutein and zeaxanthin, that help protect your eyes from oxidative stress and damage from light. Both of these caroteniods can help protect your eyes from macular degeneration, one of the leading causes of blindness in adults 65 and older.

2. PACKED FULL OF PROTEIN

Each individual egg contains around 6 grams of protein and has all 9 essential amino acids. These amino acids play a vital role in muscle development, wound healing, and some even serve as antioxidants.

3. BRAIN BOOSTER

Eggs are high in choline, a nutrient that has been shown to improve thinking capacity, memory and overall brain function. Recent studies, although few, have even shown choline to protect the liver from damage and may help prevent some cancers.

4. IMMUNITY AID & BONE GROWTH

Vitamin D is found in the yolk of eggs and is a relatively good source for the “sunshine vitamin”. Vitamin D, which we can also get form the Sun’s rays, is essential for calcium absorption and bone growth, helps reduce inflammation, and has a hand in maintaining immune function.

5. HEALTHY HAIR AND NAILS

Biotin, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, and many of the B-vitamins (thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, and folic acid) are all found in eggs. These vitamins have been shown to play a huge role in strengthening hair follicles, protecting against dryness, increasing the strength and elasticity of hair shafts, fostering hair growth, and promoting the general maintenance of healthy hair and nails.

Assistance provided by Robert Masterson at http://nutritionlately.blogspot.com.