Amaqanda ngesilungu bathi "eggs". abakelwa zinkukhu noma inyoni.Amaqanda abekwa yizilwane zesifazane ezinhlobonhlobo eziningi ezihlukene, kufaka phakathi izinyoni, izilwane ezihuquzelayo, izilwane eziphila ezweni nasemanzini, izilwane ezincelisayo ezimbalwa, nezinhlanzi, futhi eziningi zazo zidliwe ngabantu izinkulungwane zeminyaka. [1] Amaqanda wezinyoni nezirhubuluzi aqukethe iqanda leqanda elivikelayo, i-alben (iqanda elimhlophe), ne-vitellus (isikhuphasha samaqanda), equkethwe ngaphakathi kwezingqimba zomzimba ezahlukahlukene. Amaqanda asetshenziswa kakhulu amaqanda enkukhu. Amanye amaqanda enkukhu afaka nalawo amadada nezigwaca nawo ayadliwa. Amaqanda ezinhlanzi abizwa ngokuthi i-roe ne-caviar.


Izikhupha zamaqanda namaqanda aphelele zigcina amanani abalulekile amaprotheni ne-choline, futhi asetshenziswa kakhulu endaweni yokupheka. Ngenxa yokuqukethwe kwawo kwamaprotheni, uMnyango Wezolimo wase-United States phambilini wahlukanisa amaqanda njengezinyama ezingaphakathi kwePhiramidi Lomhlahlandlela Wokudla (manje eyi-MyPlate). Ngaphandle kokubaluleka kokudla kwamaqanda, kunezinkinga ezithile ezingaba khona zezempilo ezivela kokuqukethwe kwe-cholesterol, ukungcoliswa kwe-salmonella, kanye nokungezwani komzimba namaprotheni amaqanda.