by Chef Murph
Eggs have gotten a bad rap in the nutrition world, probably because they contain a lot of cholesterol. Studies have shown, however, that eggs are really good for you and are one of the “superfoods” you should include in your diet. They are high in nutrients, which make them a healthy food to eat. Here are six reasons why you should eat more eggs:
- Eggs are very nutritious. Eggs are among the most nutritious foods you can eat. A single boiled egg contains the following nutrients:
- Folate—5 percent of the recommended daily allowance (RDA)
- Vitamin A—6 percent of the RDA
- Vitamin B12—9 percent of the RDA
- Vitamin B5—5 percent of the RDA
- Vitamin B2—15 percent of the RDA
- Selenium—22 percent of the RDA
- Phosphorus—9 percent of the RDA
Eggs are also high in vitamin E, vitamin D, vitamin B6, vitamin K, zinc, and calcium. It contains only 77 calories per serving and five grams of healthy fat. It contains six grams of total protein. There are trace nutrients in eggs that you can’t get in high amounts in other foods. Eggs are perhaps the most perfect food you can eat because they contain the vitamins and minerals the body needs for good health. Even better than regular eggs are omega 3-enriched eggs, that are higher in vitamin E and vitamin A.
- Eggs might be high in cholesterol but don’t affect the blood cholesterol level. Even though eggs are high in cholesterol, they don’t raise the blood cholesterol levels. One egg contains 212 mg of cholesterol, which is more than half of the 300 mg per day that is recommended that we eat. You need to know, however, that the cholesterol in the diet doesn’t mean that the cholesterol in the bloodstream will be higher. When we eat eggs, the liver’s production of cholesterol goes down so that there isn’t more cholesterol in the bloodstream. In about 70 percent of individuals, eggs don’t raise the cholesterol level at all. About 30 percent of people will have a mild increase in LDL and total cholesterol. The only people that shouldn’t eat eggs ae those who have a genetic disorder that causes elevated cholesterol levels.
- Eggs increase the HDL or “Good” Cholesterol level. HDL cholesterol stands for High-Density Lipoprotein cholesterol. This is the good cholesterol that decreases the risk for heart disease, stroke, and other blood vessel-related health conditions. Eggs will increase the HDL cholesterol by 10 percent if you eat 2 eggs a day for a total of six weeks.
- Eggs are a high source of choline. Choline is a nutrient that few people know about. It is important for the health of the body and is often put along with the B vitamins. Choline is necessary for the building of cell membranes and signals molecules in the brain that help the brain work better. According to USDA dietary surveys, about 90 percent of Americans aren’t getting the proper amounts of choline in their diet. You need to eat whole eggs in order to get choline. One egg alone contains 100 mg of choline.
- Eggs turn LDL or “Bad” Cholesterol into good cholesterol. LDL is considered the “bad” cholesterol that causes plaques to form on the arterial walls and contribute to heart disease. High levels of LDL cholesterol are connected to a greater risk of heart disease. There are, however, subtypes of LDL cholesterol that are related to the size of the cholesterol particles. There are LDL particles that are small and dense and there are LDL particles that are large. The LDL particles that are small and dense put a person at a higher risk for heart disease when compared to people who have mostly larger LDL cholesterol particles. Even if eggs increase the LDL cholesterol level, it turns the small and dense LDL cholesterol to the large variety, which is healthier for you.
- Eggs contain Zeaxanthin and Lutein, which are antioxidants that are beneficial for the health of the eyes. One of the signs of aging is that one’s eyesight tends to worsen. There are many different nutrients you need to counteract the degenerative processes that occur in the aging eye. Two of these nutrients is lutein and zeaxanthin, which are strong antioxidants that build up in the retinal part of the eye. Research shows that eating a high amount of these nutrients can significantly decrease the chances of getting macular degeneration and cataracts, which are eye conditions associated with aging. It is the yolk of the egg that contains these powerful nutrients.
Hope and wish all the best.
THX
Chef Murph
XoxoX
