Eat your yolks, folks!

The yellow bit gets a bad rap, but it contains half the protein in the egg. The whites are merely less fatty.

If you’ve been trying to gain muscle, lose weight or generally build up strength, chances are that at some point, someone will recommend that you up your intake of egg whites. Cue all-white omelettes, boiled-whites in salad, and a yolkless life.

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You’re missing out. Egg yolks are not the enemy. The yellow bit makes up 34% of the weight and contains half the protein. The albumen or white portion is merely less fatty, which is why it fits into formal ideas of what to eat.

If you eat the egg with the yolk, here’s what you get: more calcium, copper, iron, manganese, phosphorus, selenium and zinc. And Vitamins D, B6, B12 and the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K.

Dr Zubeda Tumbi, clinical nutritionist, says the best way to cook eggs is to boil, poach or scramble them or add lots of vegetables. Think of a Spanish omelette with the works - tomato, capsicum, bell peppers, coriander, mint, spring onions, mushrooms and spinach.