Just the other day, I had someone ask me whether or not eggs were good or bad for them.
I thought it was a really good question considering all the mixed messaging we hear about eggs.
On one hand, there is a perception that eggs cause heart disease, while on the other you see Rocky Balboa drinking raw eggs to help him improve his strength. In the case of eggs, both sides of the story have a lot of truth to them.
Eggs are a source of 13 essential nutrients, high quality protein, unsaturated fats, as well as antioxidants, but they are also a source of cholesterol and saturated fat, which we all do want to limit in our diets.
So are they a good or bad food?
To start, I don’t think foods should be labeled as either good or bad. I am a firm believer in the fact that all foods can fit into a healthy diet if consumed in moderation, but if I had to label eggs, I would put a ‘good’ stamp on them. Here are my reasons why:
- The protein the egg offers is a high biological value protein, meaning it contains all nine essential amino acids that are necessary to build protein in the body. Eggs are especially good as they are particularly rich in the amino acid Leucine, which stimulates and can maximize muscle protein synthesis. Eggs are not only one of the best sources of protein, they are also one of the most affordable and easy to cook sources as well.
- Eggs are an excellent source of choline and selenium providing 23% and 22% respectively of your daily value for each nutrient in just one egg. Choline plays a role in many cellular functions, the transportation of fats in the body, neurotransmitter production, as well as liver function. Choline also helps to break down homocysteine. Homocysteine is an amino acid that, at high levels, can lead to birth defects as well as increase risk of heart disease, dementia, and Alzheimer’s disease. Selenium is a mineral as well as an antioxidant. It protects against cellular damage, improves the immune system, and plays a role in the reproduction, thyroid hormone metabolism, and DNA synthesis.
- Eggs are one of the few foods that are naturally a good source of vitamin D, which plays a role in virtually all cells of the body and is important for immune health, as well as bone health. Eggs are also a good source of Riboflavin and Phosphorus which are important for energy production and bone health.
- What about the rest of those 13 essential micronutrients we were talking about? The egg can provide you with B12, pantothenic acid, folate, iron, vitamin A, vitamin B6, zinc, and even small amounts of calcium.
- Eggs also provide Lutein and a small amount of zeaxanthin which are carotenoids or antioxidants which may help maintain healthy vision. Eggs are a more bioavailable source of these carotenoids than other sources such as supplements and spinach, meaning your body can more readily use them. A study published in the Journal of Nutrition has even showed a significant increase in serum levels of lutein and zeaxanthin after five weeks of eating 1 egg per day.
As we all know, the egg itself can be broken down into two separate parts; the white and the yolk. The egg white is one of the leanest and most bioavailable sources of protein. It contains over half of the protein in the egg, no fat, most of the potassium and just under half of the selenium that can be found in the egg. The yolk contains a large majority of the micronutrients, but it does also contain 184 mg of cholesterol and 4.5 grams of total fat with 1.6 grams of that fat being saturated fat.
In general, most healthy adults should be able to consume one egg yolk per day as long as they keep their cholesterol intake below 300 mg and the saturated fat intake at The American Heart Association recommendation of less than 7% of your calories (or less than 15 grams of saturated fat on a 2,000 calorie diet). A safe level for egg yolk consumption is no more than 3 per week, which is the recommendation for those at risk for diabetes or cardiovascular disease.
As you can see, the egg is jam packed with nutritious benefits but just like many foods, you must find that happy medium between entirely avoiding egg and drinking five raw eggs.
And remember that the egg white is a super lean cholesterol free protein, so feel free to make an egg white omelet every day of the week!
Resources:
Choline. Choline Info.org, 2008. Web. March 2014 <http://cholineinfo.org. >
Duyff RL. American Dietetic Association Complete Food and Nutrition Guide. 3rd ed. Hoboken, N.J.: John Wiley & Sons; 2006. 86, 98-99. Print.
Goodrow E, Wilson T., Crocker House S, Vishwanathan R, Scollin P, Handelman G, Nicolosi R. Consumption of One Egg Per Day Increases Serum Lutein and Zeaxanthin Concentrations in Older Adults without Altering Serum Lipid and Lipoprotein Cholesterol Concentrations. J Nutr. 2006 Oct; 136(10):2519-24.
Gropper S, Smith J, and Groff J. Advanced Nutrition and Human Metabolism. 4th ed. Belmont (Calif.) Wadsworth/Thomson, 2005.191-198, 456-462. Print
Nutrition and Research. Egg Nutrition Center, 2013. Web. March 2014. <http://www.eggnutritioncenter.org/>.
“Selenium.” Dietary Supplement Fact Sheet. National Institute of Health Office of Dietary Supplements, July 2013. Web. March 2014. http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Selenium-HealthProfessional/
