Eggs recommended for babies in new US dietary guidelines

The 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans include recommendations for birth to 24 months old and specifically recommend eggs as an important first food for infants and toddlers, as well as for pregnant women and lactating moms.

Recently, the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee, in its scientific report, issued recommendations for infants from birth to 24 months to consume eggs as an important first food. (AkilinaWinner | iStock.com)
Recently, the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee, in its scientific report, issued recommendations for infants from birth to 24 months to consume eggs as an important first food. (AkilinaWinner | iStock.com)

The newly released 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA) include recommendations for birth to 24 months old and specifically recommend eggs as an important first food for infants and toddlers, as well as for pregnant women and lactating moms.

The new guidelines confirm that eggs provide several key nutrients important for babies during the time in which their brains are rapidly developing. The guidelines emphasize the importance of choline, a nutrient in eggs. Just one large egg provides the daily choline needs for babies and toddlers, and two large eggs provide more than half of the daily choline needs for pregnant moms. Additionally, early introduction of eggs may also assist in reducing the risk of developing an egg allergy.

"The new Dietary Guidelines for Americans confirm what the science has shown: eggs provide critical nutritional support for brain health, and they play a crucial role in infant development and prenatal health," said Emily Metz, president and CEO of the American Egg Board (AEB). "With 90% of brain growth happening before kindergarten, eggs help make every bite count, especially when babies are just being introduced to solid foods."

Dr. Mickey Rubin, executive director of the AEB Egg Nutrition Center explained that as a nutrition scientist and a father he understands the importance of this news for parents. "Choline is a nutrient under-consumed by all Americans, and the guidelines recommend eggs as a notable source of choline to support brain health and development during pregnancy. Additionally, establishing healthy eating patterns from the start ensures children's growing bodies and brains get the nutrition they need."

What does this mean for egg producers?

Egg producers should look at this new guideline recommendation as an opportunity.

"For egg producers, this means targeting specific marketing to expectant parents and parents with young children directly and through their customers in retail, manufacturing and foodservice. This is also an opportunity for producers who sell to schools via the USDA to ramp up those efforts. The AEB will be supporting our producers through key consumer insights, marketing, partnerships with industry and through our new innovations. We will also be spreading the great news to health professionals and to school nutrition professionals through our "Eggs in Schools" program," Metz explained.

Influence on AEB's marketing plans

The new DGA affirms that millennial parents with young children must be a key target for the AEB's marketing, Metz added. "The new DGA recommendations of eggs provide even more reason for these consumers to take advantage of the benefits eggs deliver in their children's diets from a very early age. The key for us will be leveraging not just our own voice, but the influential voices of others trusted by consumers to ensure they hear this important news from a variety of influential sources and act upon that advice. We plan to capitalize on this important addition to the incredible egg's nutritional profile for years to come," she said.

During the first quarter of 2021, AEB will leverage this important new nutritional news in a series of marketing and communications efforts. "January is a great time to talk nutrition, as health and wellness are top of mind in the new year. We're also planning a satellite media tour featuring a registered dietitian from our "Egg Enthusiast" program in February. And we'll put the recommendations to work again during National Nutrition Month in March. This is only the beginning. These new recommendations constitute an important milestone for eggs, with potential to support the needs of busy parents who want the best for their children and to also cultivate an entirely new generation of egg lovers from the very start," said Metz.

AEB innovation center

An innovation center is in the works at AEB and Metz says this news will play a role in its projects.

"The recommendation of eggs for babies, toddlers, pregnant women and new moms in the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans represents a huge opportunity to drive innovation around eggs in formats and products specifically designed for infants and children through our partners in manufacturing, and in foodservice on things like new items for children's menus featuring the incredible egg. This will likely be one important priority for the AEB's new innovation center in the new year," she said.

Page 1 of 358
Next Page