The egg has gotten bad press because of its cholesterol-rich yoke and the associations between dietary cholesterol and heart disease. However, that same yolk contains one of the most important nutrients for building better brains: choline.

Getting adequate amounts of choline, especially early in life—during fetal development and early childhood—may help us learn more readily and also help us retain what we learn. What's more, sufficient choline intake early on may give us the mental building blocks we need to help keep memory intact as we age.