NEW DELHI, INDIA, March 25, 2003: The scientific community has rejected the Municipal Corporation of Delhi’s proposal to include eggs as part of their midday meal in the capital. They say eggs have few nutritional benefits and even the protein content in wheat flour is almost the same. All eggs do, they say, is add to the cost of the program. “The purpose of midday meals is to make up for calorie-deficit, so a cereal-based diet remains the best choice,” says Dr. Umesh Kapil, professor in the Department of Human Nutrition, AIIMS. Compared to eggs, both wheat flour and rice have twice the calorie content for the same amount. Then cost has to be factored in, with eggs costing the government six times more than the same amount in cereals. “Whole wheat flour chapatis served with legumes or vegetables are healthier than eggs as the protein content of wheat flour is not significantly lower than egg,” explains Kapil. HPI adds: Eggs contained an average of 213 mg of cholesterol, which is a major factor in the development of atherosclerotic plaque and coronary artery disease. Cereal-based foods contain no cholesterol.
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