Modeling the Substitution of One Egg Increased the Nutrient Quality of Choline and Vitamin D in Exemplary Menus.

Morales-Juarez, A. et al. Modeling the Substitution of One Egg Increased the Nutrient Quality of Choline and Vitamin D in Exemplary Menus. Nutrients 2025, 17, 1129. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu17071129

Abstract: Background/Objectives: Eggs, a nutritious and affordable food, are not widely consumed by adolescents, who show many nutrient inadequacies. Modeling dietary substitutions with eggs and their costs can provide dietary insights while considering

economic constraints. This study theoretically modeled the impact of substituting an egg for another protein source, considering nutrient quality and cost, using exemplary menus with application to adolescents.

Methods: The substitution was modeled in four different seven-day exemplary menus: (1) the Healthy U.S.-Style Dietary Pattern (HUSS), (2) Harvard Medical School’s Heathy Eating Guide, (3) the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute’s Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet and (4) the Healthy U.S.-Style Vegetarian Dietary Pattern (HVEG). One egg replaced the gram amount and nutrient profile of a protein source food in each menu. Micronutrient quality was assessed using the Food Nutrient Index (FNI), scored 0–100. The Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion Food Price Database informed the food prices. Pairwise t-tests compared the effects of egg substitution on micronutrient scores and daily costs.

Results: The daily egg substitution increased FNI scores for choline and vitamin D in the HUSS (83 to 95 and 69 to 75, respectively), DASH (80 to 91 and 55 to 59, respectively), and HVEG (91 to 100 and 44 to 51, respectively), and choline alone (89 to 98) in the Harvard menu. Daily menu prices were not significantly different after the egg substitution (p > 0.01).

Conclusions: Substituting one egg for another protein source food increased the micronutrient quality of choline and vitamin D in exemplary menus without increasing the cost; however, factors such as food preferences and the economic accessibility of eggs in different contexts should also be considered.