You can't beat an egg!

STILL polishing off those foil-wrapped goodies from Easter? Enjoy - life is too short to deny yourself those indulgent little pleasures - but while we're on the topic, let's take a moment to appreciate the cracking nutritional credentials of real eggs too.

When it comes to all-round healthiness, you really can't beat an egg (sorry!). Cheap, quick and easy, and they go with everything, they are quite simply egg-cellent, and you might be surprised to know just how egg-ceptional they are on the good-for-you front.

Here are five reasons to dip into more eggs...

EGG-STRA NUTRITIONAL

The term 'superfood' might seem like a modern marketing ploy, but it's a label that the humble egg - something we've had in our pantries and been eating by the basket-load for forever with little fanfare - is arguably quite deserving of.

"Eggs are a really nutritious food, providing an excellent range of micronutrients. As well as being rich in vitamin D, essential for normal bones and teeth and for both muscle and immune system function, they are also a good source of DHA - one of the omega 3 fatty acids - that contributes to normal brain and eye function," says Dr Juliet Gray, registered nutritionist and advisor to the British Egg Information Service (www.egginfo.co.uk). "Eggs are also rich in selenium, important for hair and nails, the immune system, and thyroid function. On top of this, they contain more than 100% of the RI [reference intake, formerly RDA] for vitamin B12, which we need for red blood cell function, and also vitamin A, vitamin B2, folate, biotin, pantothenic acid, iodine and phosphorus. All those nutrients in just one single food!"

PACKED FULL OF PROTEIN

There's been growing emphasis on packing plenty of protein into our diets recently. As well as being useful for weight management, protein's role in muscle growth and repair has helped up its popularity, as more and more of us get serious about our fitness regimes. "Whether you're a gym-goer, or just trying to eat healthily, the humble egg is an awesome food to include in your diet," says Charlie Turner, co-founder of Neat Nutrition (www.neat-nutrition.com). "Poached eggs and avocado is one of my staples; high in protein and nutrients, quick and easy to cook, and budget-friendly too. Eggs contain all the essential amino acids which your body needs when refuelling after a workout and their high protein content helps to keep you satiated all morning."

BRILLIANT BREAKFASTS

When Robson, nutritionist and co-author of The Detox Kitchen Bible, teamed up with Giraffe restaurants (www.giraffe.net) to share his three golden rules on eating for maximum health and happiness, he instantly knew what his first tip would be: "Start the day with an egg!"

"Research has shown that people who eat eggs at breakfast eat less across the rest of the day compared to those who opt for grain-based cereals, as eggs help keep you feeling fuller for longer," explains Hobson. They also pair extremely well with other health-boosters, to supercharge your breakfast even more. "Most of us don't get enough oily fish, so adding smoked salmon will boost those heart health omega 3 levels, and your intake of vitamin D, which many of us lack." Serve on a bed of spinach or slice of granary toast for extra vitamins and fibre.

SUPER SNACKS

One medium-sized egg contains around 65 calories, which makes them a fantastic choice as a healthy low-calorie snack. For context, that's less than a single portion of most types of fruit - which isn't to say you should ditch fruit in favour of eggs, but if you're looking for low-calorie snack inspiration, why not add a hard-boiled egg to your daily graze armoury? Not only will an egg leave you feeling far more satisfied - therefore keeping hunger pangs at bay - than say a packet of crisps (usually 100kcals upwards, depending on the brand) or single digestive biscuit (around 71kcals), they'll also really count in those healthy-eating efforts, thanks to their super-charged nutritional content.

WORK WONDERS FOR SKIN

We're often told that the quality of our diets is displayed in our complexions, and eggs rack up cracking scores in the skin-enhancing stakes. "Eggs contain vitamin A, which helps the process of cell development - especially the development of new skin cells. This is why vitamin A is often included in beauty products," explains Shona Wilkinson, head nutritionist at natural health retailer NutriCentre (www.nutricentre.com). "They also contain the antioxidants selenium, which helps prevent free radical damage, which is part of the aging process, and lutein and zeaxanthin, which help protect the skin against UV damage that leads to brown spots and wrinkles. They are great sources of amino acids which help with generation of new cells."

SALMON AND WATERCRESS FRITTATA (serves 1)

A frittata is an excellent way to combine a variety of different ingredients into one delicious meal. This recipe from the British Egg Information Service use flaked, smoked salmon, peppery watercress and sliced spring onion for a light, lifting dish that can be enjoyed at any time of the day.

1 tsp olive oil

2 spring onions, sliced

50g watercress, roughly chopped

75g hot smoked salmon, flaked

2 large British Lion eggs

Heat the oil in a small frying pan, add the onions, watercress and salmon and stir fry for 1 minute.

Beat the eggs with a little seasoning and pour into the pan.

Cook over a medium heat, stirring to allow the uncooked egg to run into the base of the pan until the egg is almost set.

Shake to level the surface then pop under a hot grill and cook for 1-2 minutes until the top is set and pale golden. Serve hot with a crisp salad.

EGG CUSTARD TARTS (serves 6)

For the pastry:

225g plain flour

50g icing sugar

A pinch of salt

125g unsalted butter, cubed

1 large British Lion egg

A little more butter for greasing

For the filling:

250ml whole milk

250ml double cream

2 Large British Lion eggs

2 Large British Lion egg yolks

75g caster sugar

1 tsp vanilla essence

Freshly grated nutmeg

To make the pastry: Place the flour, icing sugar, salt and butter in a food processor and blitz until it looks like breadcrumbs. Alternatively, place the dry ingredients in a bowl and rub in the butter using your fingertips.

Add the egg to the pastry crumb mix and blitz in the processor or stir in with a knife, until the mixture comes together and forms a ball. Wrap and chill for 20 minutes

Meanwhile for the filling: Pour the milk and cream into a pan and slowly bring to the boil. Place the eggs and egg yolks in a large jug add the sugar and vanilla essence and beat together until creamy. Remove the milk from the heat, then pour it over the eggs and stir well. Return it to the pan, then place a fine meshed sieve over the jug and pour the mixture back through the sieve. Set aside.

To line the tins with pastry: Cut the dough into four pieces. Take the first piece and thinly roll it out, dusting the work top and rolling pin with flour. When it is about 2 mm thick, use a 10cm/4in plain cutter (or draw around a saucer if you prefer) to press out 3 rounds of pastry, rerolling pastry if necessary. Repeat to roll out 12 circles of pastry the same way.

Butter the base and sides of each of the 12 holes of a muffin tin - this ensures the pastry doesn’t stick. Carefully push the pastry rounds into the holes, trying not to stretch the pastry too much. Push it neatly into the base and sides of each to tart case.

Line each pastry case with baking parchment and baking beans. Place the muffin tin on a baking tray and bake for 10 minutes. Remove the paper and beans and bake for a further 5 minutes or until the pastry is pale golden and the bases are dry.

Reduce the oven temperature to Fan130oC/150oC/Gas Mark 2. Carefully pour the prepared custard into the pastry cases, then sprinkle a little freshly grated nutmeg over each. Return to the oven and bake for a further 15-20 minutes or until the custard is firm, with a slight wobble. Cool for 5 minutes in the tin before removing. Best served chilled.