When we think about “brain food”, we often picture pricey supplements, superfoods with unpronounceable names, or elaborate wellness routines. But new research suggests one of the most powerful foods for brain health has been sitting quietly in the fridge all along: the humble egg.
A newly published review in Nutrition Bulletin has pulled together decades of research to show that eggs play an important role in brain development and brain function – not just for babies, but across the entire lifespan, from pregnancy through to older age.
It’s the first time the evidence has been examined this way, and the conclusion is clear: eggs deliver a unique mix of nutrients that support the brain during its most critical stages of growth.
Why the brain loves eggs
The brain doesn’t develop all at once. Instead, it grows in key “windows of opportunity” – periods when specific nutrients are essential for building brain structure, connections, and function. During these times, nutrients like protein, choline, folate, iodine, and vitamins A, B12 and D are especially important.
Eggs naturally contain all of these – and that’s what makes them stand out.
“We now know that key brain nutrients don’t work in isolation,” explains UK nutrition scientist Dr Emma Derbyshire. “It’s the combination found naturally in eggs that makes them so powerful.”
New Zealand nutrition expert Elaine Rush, Emeritus Professor of Nutrition at AUT, agrees.
“An egg contains all the nutrients needed to start and sustain new life,” she says. “And they’re delivered together in a form the body can easily digest and use.”
In other words, it’s not just what nutrients eggs contain – it’s how beautifully they work together.
A real-world food for real-world families
For parents, caregivers, and anyone responsible for feeding others, this matters.
“In the real world, families are balancing nutrition with cost, convenience and time,” Elaine says. “Eggs tick all the boxes – they’re quick to cook, incredibly versatile, nutrient-dense and great value.”
They’re also accessible, which is important when so much nutrition advice feels unrealistic or out of reach.
Choline: the brain nutrient you’ve probably never heard of
One of the stars of the research is choline – a nutrient essential for brain development, memory, and learning. It’s particularly important during pregnancy, yet many women don’t get enough of it.
Two medium eggs provide around 80% of a pregnant woman’s recommended daily intake of choline, and the choline in eggs is especially well absorbed by the body – more so than from supplements.
“It’s important for pregnant women to know about choline and the role eggs can play in their baby’s brain development,” Elaine says.
One analysis in the review found that eating eggs and choline-rich foods during pregnancy was linked with more advanced brain maturation in babies as early as 36 weeks.
Despite this, typical choline intake among New Zealand women of childbearing age is significantly lower than recommended – a gap eggs could help fill.
Why early nutrition really matters
Research consistently shows that the first 1,000 days of life – from conception to age two – are crucial for brain development, with long-term effects on learning, mental wellbeing and even future job potential.
But brain development doesn’t stop there. The central nervous system continues developing through childhood and into early adulthood, with adolescence often described as a second major “window of opportunity”.
Good nutrition during these years can support cognitive development – and help correct earlier deficits.
In New Zealand, Plunket advises that well-cooked, mashed or puréed eggs can be introduced from around six months, making eggs one of the earliest natural sources of brain-supporting nutrients for babies.
Eggs and ageing brains
The benefits don’t end in childhood.
A 2025 systematic review published in the Journal of Nutrition, Health & Aging found that moderate egg consumption – around three to seven eggs per week – was associated with better cognitive outcomes in older adults. This included slower memory decline and a reduced risk of cognitive impairment and dementia.
The takeaway
This growing body of research reinforces a simple but powerful message: nutrition matters at every stage of life, and eggs can play a meaningful role.
From supporting foetal brain development and early motor skills, to language, learning and memory – and even helping protect cognitive health later in life – eggs offer a rare combination of nutrients that work together to support the brain.
“As a natural, unprocessed food, eggs can improve the nutrient density of diets during pregnancy and childhood,” Dr Derbyshire concludes. “They provide a range of nutrients with important and collective roles in brain development and function across critical life stages.”
Sometimes, the most powerful wellness choices really are the simplest ones.
Here are some fabulous egg recipes the kids will love.
