With the amount of controversy of what foods you should and shouldn’t be eating for health the egg seems to be getting one of the most beatings. It is a good thing this food has a shell or it would be cracked on the floor in a big mess already. So what is the truth about the egg? Should you still be enjoying a fried egg at breakfast or on your daily avocado on toast? You are reading the right article if you want to know the truth.
Good news first is the most recent evidence available suggest that to reduce the risk of heart diseases such as stroke and coronary heart disease eggs should not be restricted in your diet. The only negative is this is limited to the equivalent of 1 egg a day over a week including the yolk, so if you are in love with eggs and do a carton a day, this may be pushing it. If you already have heart disease, diabetes or high cholesterol you can still include eggs but try no more than 6 including the yolk a week.
So what does have a greater negative influence on your cholesterol? The trans and saturated fats! These types of fat are in a lot of your ‘sometimes’ foods like cakes, biscuits, sweets, coconut oil, butter and animal fats.
Eggs seem to be feared by so much misinformation when in fact they are packed full of nutritional goodness. 2 large chicken eggs will give you around 581kJ or 139 calories and a whopping 12g of protein! The type of protein provided is referred to as ‘high biological value’ because it contains all of the amino acids which your body cannot make on its own to create protein.
Eggs also are a great natural source of vitamin D which helps your immune system stay functioning well and also enables the calcium you eat and drink to be taken into your bones to keep them strong. Eggs can even provide you with a small or moderate amount if fortified of the healthy omega-3 polyunsaturated fat. This can help your heart stay healthy and improve your cholesterol status by reducing the ‘bad’ LDL-Cholesterol and increasing the ‘good’ HDL-Cholesterol.
The list of the nutrients in an egg are vast and is limited to only a few such as lacking vitamin C. Here are a list of a few of the many reasons to support the often underrated or at worst demonised egg:
- B12 and Biotin –Needed to be able to convert the food you eat into energy.
- Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic Acid)- Also helps make energy from the food you eat but also helps your body make certain hormones, proteins needed for blood production and chemicals needed in your brain.
- Vitamin B12 (Cobalamin)- A component needed to make DNA as well as keep your nervous system functioning optimally.
- Vitamin A- May assist with improving your night vision not to mention keeping your immune system strong. Vitamin A also helps keep your skin healthy.
- Vitamin E –Is an antioxidants to help reduce the damage from reactions which simply happen by being alive. Your immune system gets a boost of support with this vitamin and it prevents your blood from clotting too much.
- Selenium – Eggs provide a good source towards your daily needs of selenium. Selenium is needed for the health of your thyroid and acts as an antioxidant as well as keeps your immune system strong. Selenium may also help reduce the risk of certain cancers and diseases.
So why fear a food which is so good for you in moderation? Eggs are not only a nutrient power house but are also a cheap source of fuel. There are many ‘experts’ in nutrition available in the media but it may be wise to search the credentials of the person who you choose to believe. Just because someone is a chef, a personal trainer, a celebrity, a doctor or a person who eats food does not mean they are qualified to tell you what foods are healthy or unhealthy. Just something to ponder…
References:
- Alexander DD, Miller PE, Vargas AJ, Weed DL, Cohen SS. Meta-analysis of egg consumption and risk of coronary heart disease and stroke. J Am Coll Nutr. 2016 Nov-Dec;35(8):704-16. Epub 2016 Oct 6. Abstract available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27710205.
- Berger S, Raman G, Vishwanathan R, Jacques PF, Johnson EJ. Dietary cholesterol and cardiovascular disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Am J Clin Nutr. 2015 Aug;102(2):276-94. doi: 10.3945/ajcn.114.100305. Epub 2015 Jun 24. Abstract available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26109578.
- Richard C, Cristall L, Fleming E, Lewis ED, Ricupero M, Jacobs RL, et al. Impact of egg consumption on cardiovascular risk factors in individuals with type 2 diabetes and at risk for developing diabetes: a systematic review of randomized nutritional intervention studies. Can J Diabetes. 2017 Mar 27. pii: S1499-2671(16)30562-7. doi: 10.1016/j.jcjd.2016.12.002. [Epub ahead of print]. Abstract available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28359773.
- Shin JY, Xun P, Nakamura Y, He K. Egg consumption in relation to risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Am J Clin Nutr. 2013 Jul;98(1):146-59. doi: 10.3945/ajcn.112.051318. Epub 2013 May 15. Abstract available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23676423.
- Ltd AEC. Unbeatable Eggs Australia: Australian Egg Corporation Ltd 2017 [updated 2014. Available from: http://www.eggs.org.au/health-and-nutrition/nutrition-content-of-eggs/.
