Eggs Revealed as ‘Natural Brain Food’

New review finds eggs support brain development across the lifespan.

New researchⁱ just published in Nutrition Bulletin¹ has identified that the unique blend of nutrients in eggs can help brain development and function during pregnancy, early childhood, and adolescence.

This is the first time the evidence has been brought together in this way, with the new review highlighting the importance of egg consumption in early life for neurodevelopment, motor development and academic performance.

The brain’s key components are formed during critical ‘windows of opportunity’ⁱⁱ requiring specific nutrients, includingprotein, choline, folate, iodine, and vitamins A, B12 and D – all found naturally in eggs.

“We now know that key nutrients for the brain, such as DHA, choline and folate, often do not work in isolation, which is why the combination naturally found in eggs is so powerful,” says UK author Dr Emma Derbyshire.

New Zealand nutrition expert Elaine Rush, Emeritus Professor of Nutrition at AUT, says the research confirms it’s the unique blend of nutrients in eggs working together, not just the individual nutrients, that can make all the difference. “An egg contains all the nutrients needed to start and sustain new life, delivered together in a form the body can easily digest and use,” she says.

Rush believes that any New Zealander responsible for feeding children, young people and ageing adults should know that accessible, nutritious food choices like eggs can help them nourish and care for their whānau, now and into the future. “In the real world, families are balancing nutrition with cost, convenience, and time; eggs are quick to cook, highly nutritious, incredibly versatile, and great value.”

Choline – the wonder ingredient

One of the most important brain nutrients is choline, and eggs are a particularly important source for pregnant women, with two medium eggs providing 80% of their recommended daily intakeⁱⁱⁱ. In addition, the choline in eggs has been found to be particularly bioavailable when compared with supplements, meaning it is readily absorbed and utilised by the body.

“It’s important for pregnant women to know about the benefits of choline and eggs for the baby’s brain development,” Rush says.

One analysis in the new review found that intake of eggs and associated nutrients such as choline during pregnancy was positively associated with brain maturation at 36 weeks^iv.

Leading medical associations in the US already recognise that failure to provide choline and other key nutrients during pregnancy and early years could contribute to lifelong deficits in brain function^v, but typical choline intakes amongst New Zealand women of childbearing age have been found to be substantially lower than advised^vi.

Early years nutrition is crucial

Research shows that prenatal nutrition and the first 1000 days of life (from conception to age two years) areparticularly crucial for brain development^vii,^viii with long-term consequences for education needs, job potential and even mental wellbeing^ix.

Development of tissue in the central nervous system continues during childhood^x,^xi through to 20 years of age^xii. Adolescence is regarded by some as the second ‘window of opportunity’ for brain development, and research shows that adequate nutrition in childhood and adolescence is important to maintain cognitive development and correct potential deficits^xiii.

In New Zealand, Plunket advises that well-cooked, pureed or mashed eggs can be introduced as a Stage 1 solid from around six months, providing an early, natural source of brain-supporting nutrients^xiv.

Fighting cognitive decline

As well as eggs being helpful for brain development, a 2025 systematic review published in the Journal of Nutrition, Health & Aging^xv, reports that moderate egg consumption (approximately three to seven eggs per week) is associated with better cognitive outcomes, including slower memory decline in older people and a reduced risk of cognitive impairment and dementia.

Conclusion

The new review shows that nutrient intake in early years is important for a wide range of outcomes, including brain development, neurotransmitter synthesis and function, signalling networks and aspects of memory^xvi.

It concludes that eggs, when consumed as part of a healthy and balanced diet, may help to supply an array of useful brain nutrients^xvii, potentially helping to reinforce foetal brain maturation indices^xviii, fine motor development ^xix, motor and language development^xx, gross motor and social skills^xxi, language acquisition^xxii and higher verbal performance and better academic achievement^xxiii.

“As a natural, unprocessed food, eggs can improve the nutrient density of diets in pregnancy and childhood by providing a range of nutrients which have important and collective roles in brain development and function across these critical life stages,” concludes Dr Derbyshire.

REFERENCES:

• ⁱ Derbyshire E (2026) Eggs and Associated Nutrients: Implications for Brain Development and Function From Conception toEarly Adulthood: A Narrative Review. Nutrition Bulletin 0: 1-21. Available at: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/nbu.70042
• ⁱⁱ Ismail, F. Y., A. Fatemi, and M. V. Johnston. 2017. “Cerebral Plasticity: Windows of Opportunity in the Developing Brain.” European Journal of Paediatric Neurology 21: 23–48.
• ⁱⁱⁱ NHMRC & Ministry of Health (2006; rev. 2017). Nutrient Reference Values for Australia and New Zealand. Executive summary. Canberra and Wellington.
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