Many people try to limit or even avoid eggs in their diet because of the high cholesterol concentrated in the yolk.

But eggs aren't about to go out of style yet, as researchers suggest that eating them increases both 'good' and 'bad' cholesterol.

And then there are egg producers like Chew's Agriculture, right here in Singapore, which work to make the goodness of eggs even better.

Chew's Agriculture, in collaboration with AP Nutripharm, has come up with what it says is a world first - the cordyceps egg.

You've heard about cordyceps. But what exactly is it?

Cordyceps sinensis belongs to a family of parasitic fungus which attacks a species of caterpillar in winter.

When the caterpillar is hibernating, this fungus slowly eats away at it and, by the end of winter, the process is complete, and the caterpillar now looks like a plant. A literal translation of the Chinese term for cordyceps is 'winter worm, summer plant'.

The Chinese discovered the health benefits of cordyceps sinensis centuries ago when they noticed that sheep which grazed on it were stronger and healthier. Traditional herbalists then began using the fungus for curing several diseases.

Cordyceps was believed to be able to fortify and provide anti-ageing and immunity boosts.

Although wild cordyceps are said to be the most powerful, they are quite expensive and difficult to buy in many parts of the world. Therefore, the cultivated forms of the fungus are the most popular and widely spread.

Cultivated cordyceps, produced here in Singapore by AP Nutripharm, are what is used in the feed for the chickens that lay cordyceps eggs.

The idea came about when both companies were seeking an alternative to antibiotics in animal feeds.

'There have been concerns all over the world about the use of antibiotics to reduce disease and boost growth in livestock,' said Dr Mark Xu, managing director and chief executive officer of AP Nutripharm.

'Antibiotic resistance by microorganisms which cause disease in humans and animals has risen sharply and there's evidence that this resistance is promoted by the antibiotics given to animals.'

The chickens were actually fed with Nu-V cordyceps sinensis mycelium, to boost their weight. And though there was considerable weight gain in the chickens, the amount of fungus needed for this was far too expensive.

But the experiment showed that cordycepin (an active cordyceps compound) did find its way into the eggs, said Dr Xu.

After several experiments with various amounts of cordyceps in the feed, the lab came up with the minimum that, though it wouldn't result in much larger chickens, would allow them to lay eggs containing cordycepin.

'Cordycepin has proven to contain anti-cancer and disease-resistant properties,' said Dr Xu. 'As for the cordyceps eggs, they have only been launched last month. So their benefits are yet to be appreciated.

'However, this is not a drug. It is a food and we are not out to prove that it has curative powers.

'Apart from the cordycepin nutrients, the eggs are 30 per cent lower than ordinary eggs in cholesterol and have a dramatically improved texture with a smooth, 'bouncier' white and sweeter yolk.'

That might explain why they are pricier. Chew's Cordyceps Eggs, available at Shop n Save, Prime, Cold Storage, NTUC Fairprice and some organic shops, retail at $3.95 for a pack of six. That's about twice the price you would usually pay for 10 eggs.

What I like about these eggs is that they do not have that marked 'eggy' odour. Another plus point is that the yolk is a bright orange-yellow.

Soft-boiled, it has more flavour, leaving the slightest hint of sweetness as an aftertaste.

E-mail: josephine.huang@mac.com

This article was first published in the Mind Your Body supplement on Jan 9, 2008.