Eating eggs alongside raw vegetables could boost their health benefits

Most people would agree that raw vegetables are a healthy snack, but adding an egg could make them even healthier.

A new study from Perdue University suggests that eating cooked eggs could increase your carotenoid absorption from vegetables by as much as nine times. Increased carotenoid absorption can lead to longer life, fewer illnesses, and a reduced risk of cancer and heart disease, Time reports.

The researchers served 16 male subjects a salad without eggs, a salad with one and a half scrambled eggs, and a salad with three scrambled eggs. The participants who ate the most eggs saw between three and nine times greater carotenoid absorption.

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While the study only included men and had a small sample size, the findings could have important implications for increasing the nutritional value of vegetables. The researchers are presenting the findings at the American Society for Nutrition's annual meeting this week.