Q: Recently, I’ve heard that eating whole eggs is healthier than eating egg whites or fat-free substitutes. I’ve also heard that eggs can help you lose weight but, traditional wisdom seems to suggest that eggs are bad, so I’m confused. Can you explain?

A: Eggs are one of nature’s near-perfect foods. They contain an easily digestible form of protein, plus loads of other valuable compounds and nutrients that can even help you lose weight. With rare exceptions, such as an allergy, there isn’t any reason to avoid them, despite what you may have heard. The reasons traditional medical experts have recommended avoiding eggs in the past is because of its reputation as a high cholesterol food.

Cholesterol is crucial for every cell in the body, and around 80 percent of cholesterol in the body is produced by the body itself in the liver, regardless of how much of it you eat or don’t eat. Most of your body’s cholesterol is found within the cells, where it has all kinds of positive effects. Only about 7 percent of the body’s store of cholesterol is in the blood, and even then it doesn’t do any real damage until it oxidises and begins to stick to our arterial walls.

Nature, in her infinite wisdom, also created the egg complete with its own built-in antioxidant. It’s called lecithin, and it helps prevent egg cholesterol from becoming a problem. Interestingly, lecithin is found in the yolk, which many people mistakenly discard because it contains cholesterol.

As for weight loss, you are right, recent research has shown that eggs can be an excellent food for weight loss because they make us feel fuller for longer than other foods. Researchers from Louisiana State University in the U.S. looked at the eating habits of a group of overweight women. The women, who were following a low-fat diet, were asked to eat either two eggs a day for breakfast, or have a bagel. These two meals contained the same number of calories and yet the weight loss effect was very different. After eight weeks, the women who had eaten eggs for breakfast instead of bagels had lost the most weight and also felt as if they had more energy.

Eggs are a first class protein and it is the protein effect which can help us to feel fuller longer. According to the World Health Organisation most people can have up to ten eggs a week and buy organic where possible.

Chickpeas are from the legume family and are native to the Mediterranean. But they are actually eaten all round the world. In India and Pakistan, chickpeas are known as ‘chana’ and are used in curries and well as being ground into a flour called gram flour. The flour is used to make pancakes and fritters, especially in India and Italy. Whole dried chickpeas can also be sprouted and added to salads.

In Middle Eastern countries, hummus is popular and they are also ground and shaped into balls which are then fried and known as falafels. They are also known as garbanzo beans. Chickpeas are very versatile and can be eaten cooked and cold.

As well as being versatile, chickpeas are also very healthy. They are a good source of zinc, folate, calcium and magneisum and in many vegetarian cultues are a major source of protein. Chickpeas have a low glycemic index, as they are high in dietary fibre as well as protein and are a good source of carbohydrates for people with blood sugar problems, diabetes or who want to lose weight. They are a very good source of phytoestrogens because they contain all four isoflavones.

Chickpeas have been shown to lower total cholesterol, LDL (‘bad’ cholesterol) and glucose and so may have to part to play in reducing the risk of developing heart disease and diabetes. In one clinical trial, people with at least one cardiovascular risk factor or a family history of heart diease were given chickpeas in the form of canned cooked chickpeas and in bread and biscuits containing 30% chickpea flour for five weeks and then switched back to their usual diet for five weeks, some had their usual diet for five weeks and then switched to the ‘chickpea’ diet for five weeks. The ‘chickpea’ diet for just five weeks significantly reduced the levels of total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol.

Hummus is a great food and can be bought in most good health food shops and supermarkets. It is even possible to organic hummus now. But there is nothing to beat home made hummus.

Serves 6-8

• 450g/1lb chickpeas or 2 tins (400g/14oz) of organic cooked chickpeas, drained
• 4 large garlic cloves
• 2 hot red chillies (optional)
• Juice of about 3 lemons
• About 150ml/¼ pint tahini
• 85g/30z pitted black olives, plus a few for garnish
• 2 tsps ground cumin
• 1 tsp of sea salt
• Organic virgin olive oil, to dress
• A little paprika, to garnish
• Chopped flat-leaved parsley, to garnish
• Warm wholemeal pitta bread, to serve

If using dried chickpeas, soak them overnight in water. Next day, discard the water, cover with fresh water and bring to the boil. Lower the heat, add one of the garlic cloves and the chillies and simmer for one hour, until just soft. Drain, reserving the water and discarding the garlic and chillies.

Reserving a few whole chickpeas, put the rest in a food processor with the lemon juice, tahini, olives, cumin, 150ml/¼ of the reserved water (or plain water if using tinned chickpeas) and sat. Chop the remaining garlic, add to the processor and blitz to a coarse puree. The consistency should not be too smooth, with pieces of chickpeas giving texture. Add more water if too dry. Adjust the flavouring with more tahini and lemon juice.

Spread the hummus on individual plates, forking circular ridges on the surface. Pour a little olive oil over and arrange a few whole chickpeas and olives on top, dust with a little paprika and garnish with the flat leave parsley. Serve with warm pitta bread.