Eggs: All The Benefits Of Eating Eggs
If there is one food that enjoys worldwide popularity, it’s eggs. The oval-shaped, nutrient-rich food can be consumed not just at breakfast but at any time of day, especially by those who want to lose weight. Eggs can also be prepared in various ways and have many health benefits.
However, eggs have not always been viewed positively due to their high cholesterol and the high fat content in the yolks. It was also said that eggs could potentially raise blood cholesterol levels and place people at risk for diabetes, heart disease, and even cancer.
“Eggs have gotten some seriously bad press over the last few decades, but none of it is valid at all,” Rhian Stephenson, a registered nutritional therapist in London, England, told The Telegraph.
Edwina Currie, a former politician in Britain, stirred up one of the largest controversies about eggs when she warned in the late 1980s that egg production in Britain was affected by salmonella. Currie’s claim led to the destruction of millions of eggs and the killing of millions of hens.
Warnings about eggs were also issued in the United States. For example, in the late 1980s, the American Heart Association recommended that people consume less than three whole eggs a week because their high dietary cholesterol could lead to high blood cholesterol and higher cardiovascular disease risks.
Recent studies have found that eggs do not cause increased health risks and should be incorporated into our diets.
“The main egg myths I hear have come out of the diet culture of the Nineties, when low-fat diets were all the rage, and it was believed that high-cholesterol foods could contribute to cardiovascular disease,” Stephenson told the outlet. “Today, we know that this isn’t the case at all.”
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Agricultural Research Service, a large egg contains:
- 72 calories
- 4.8 grams of fat
- 6.3 grams of protein
Eggs are naturally rich in vitamin D, vitamin B2 (riboflavin), vitamin B12, and several other B vitamins, including folate, biotin, pantothenic acid, and choline. They also contain minerals such as iron, iodine, zinc, selenium, and phosphorus.
Eggs are rich in protein
Eggs also contain “complete protein,” which is a protein source that contains all nine essential amino acids that the body needs but cannot produce on its own. Complete protein makes eggs a “high-quality protein source,” Caroline Farrell, a registered nutritionist in London, told The Telegraph.
Complete sources of protein promote recovery, muscle growth and repair, and overall fitness while also curbing hunger and helping individuals maintain a healthy weight.
The protein in eggs is found in the egg white, which has fewer calories than a whole egg. According to the USDA, one egg white has nearly four grams of protein and 17 calories, while one large egg yolk has almost 11 grams of protein and 52 calories.
Eating eggs at breakfast with toast is a cost-effective way to help meet your body’s daily protein needs. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2020–2025 recommends 46 grams of protein a day for women and 56 grams a day for men.
Egg yolks have benefits, too
Stephenson sees egg yolks as “an especially nutrient-dense food.”
“As well as containing some vitamin D and iron, both of which can be hard to get through food, eggs are also rich in calcium, zinc, and potassium, and a good amount of B12, which is especially important for people who don’t eat fish or meat,” she explained to The Telegraph.
The cholesterol in egg yolks still poses a concern to some due to its potential to raise the risk of cardiovascular disease in people with type 2 diabetes. The cholesterol could possibly interact “with underlying insulin resistance or metabolic conditions that heighten LDL particle levels,” Farrell told the outlet.
For those wanting to reduce their cholesterol intake, Stephenson suggested that people at risk of heart disease “do a two-egg omelet with just one yolk, to make sure that you’re still feeling the nutritional benefits of eating eggs while moderating your cholesterol intake.”
Should you eat the whole egg?
Stephenson recommends eating the entire egg, even though the egg white seems healthier than the yolk.
“The reason why people avoid yolk is because of a fear of fat and dietary cholesterol, which we now know is unfounded,” she told The Telegraph.
Farrell also supports eating the whole egg because “the combination of protein and fat helps keep you full, reducing mid-morning hunger pangs” when consumed at breakfast. This helps people with their weight loss goals much more than eating a whites-only meal would do, she said.
What is the healthiest cooking method for eggs?
Not only do eggs have different nutrients, but there are also different ways to cook them, including scrambled, boiled, fried, and poaches. However, not all of these cooking methods are the best when it comes to healthy eating.
“How you cook your eggs can affect their nutrient profile,” Farrell told The Telegraph, but just about any method can still be healthy “if cooked with minimal oil or heart-healthy fats like olive oil.”
Nutritionists view poached and boiled eggs as the healthiest way to eat eggs. For one, poached eggs do not add extra calories or fats. Also, boiling is best for getting the most out of the vitamins and minerals in the eggs. Nutrients can potentially leech out from the eggs into the water during the poaching process.
However, if you want more than a plain boiled egg, Stephenson suggests scrambling or frying the eggs at a low heat, using a “good-quality olive oil or coconut oil, or butter.” She recommends steering clear of low-calorie sprays because they can be overly processed.
Do more expensive eggs mean healthier eggs?
Shoppers have noticed the price of eggs skyrocketing over the past year. Despite the increase, conventional eggs are still the least expensive. However, nutritionists say free-range eggs and organic eggs are healthier, but they are more expensive.
Free-range eggs “are typically higher in omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin D because of the chickens’ outdoor diet and sunlight exposure,” Farrell said, while “some premium brands like Happy Eggs, or organic eggs, may offer better nutrient profiles if hens are fed omega-3-enriched diets or have higher welfare standards.”
Stephenson also believes that organic eggs are healthier than caged or regular free-range options. However, while organic eggs usually cost more, that doesn’t necessarily mean they are organic. To be certified organic, hens must be uncaged, have access to the outdoors, and cannot have pesticides, fertilizers, hormones, and antibiotics in their diet. Egg companies must keep high standards of animal welfare.
The healthiest option is to get your eggs directly from a chicken, if possible. However, if you do not know anyone personally, there may be local individuals or groups that offer fresh eggs.
Source Links:
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/health-fitness/diet/nutrition/all-the-benefits-of-eggs-and-how-to-eat-them-healthily/
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6470839/
https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/food-details/1100199/nutrients
https://www.dietaryguidelines.gov/sites/default/files/2020-12/Dietary_Guidelines_for_Americans_2020-2025.pdf
