For vegetarians

THE COLUMBUS EGG ALLOWS VEGETARIANS TO REPLACE MEAT AND FISH

More and more people are opting for vegetarianism. However, giving up meat and fish is not an easy task if you want to avoid deficiencies in essential nutrients for the body.

Columbus eggs contain many more essential nutrients for vegetarians than conventional eggs, even if they are organic: vitamin B12 (60% more) and omega-3 (15 times more!). They also contain minerals (iron) and high quality proteins.

For example, a Columbus egg provides 50% of the daily requirement of omega-3 of animal origin and 60% of the daily requirement of vitamin B12. It allows vegetarians to avoid certain deficiencies caused by the absence of meat or fish in the diet.

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Key benefits of our eggs for vegetarians

Intake of omega-3, in particular EPA or DHA

Omega-3 fatty acids help protect against heart disease and are necessary for the body to function properly. However, our bodies do not produce them. It is therefore essential to obtain them through the diet.

The effects of omega-3s on heart health have been observed mainly with high intakes of omega-3s from fatty fish, called EPA and DHA. In fact, only 2-10% of omega-3 from plants (flax, soy, walnuts and canola oil) can be converted into EPA and DHA.

For a vegetarian, reaching the recommended nutritional intake of omega-3 is therefore a real challenge!

Columbus eggs provide omega-3 of plant origin (ALA) as well as remarkable quantities of omega-3 of animal origin (EPA + DHA). A single Columbus egg represents 50% of the recommended daily intake of animal omega-3 (EPA + DHA).

Vitamin B12 is a very important vitamin for the functioning of the brain, the nervous system and in the synthesis of DNA. This vitamin must be provided by the diet. Vegetarians are at risk of not consuming enough vitamin B12 because of their low intake of animal foods.

An American team sought to quantify this risk by carrying out a major review of the scientific literature on this subject.

40 studies were selected and the analysis of the data revealed that, in general, the percentages of deficiency reach 45% in children, 17 to 39% in pregnant women, 0 to 86.5% in adults and the elderly.

The authors of the study consider that additional vitamin B12 intake is necessary for vegans and vegetarians, and urge all vegetarians to be screened for vitamin B12 deficiency.

Columbus eggs contain more than 60% more vitamin B12 than standard (including organic) eggs. One Columbus egg provides ±60% of the daily requirement of vitamin B12.

To live, we need 20 different amino acids, 8 of which are said to be essential because the body cannot produce them. They must therefore be provided by the diet via proteins. However, vegetable proteins provide less variety and fewer essential amino acids than animal proteins.

As you can see, it is not enough to replace meat with fruit and vegetables. For a good protein balance, you need to make the right choices and associations. The combination of eggs and cereals or pulses and dairy products is certainly recommended for vegetarians.

Source: Pawlak R., Lester SE., Babatunde T. The prevalence of cobalamin deficiency among vegetarians assessed by serum vitamin B12: a review of literature. Eur J Clin Nutr 2014 May; 68(5): 541–8.

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