While a lot of foods that are once claimed to be healthy turn up as news articles claiming the opposite, eggs are one of the healthiest foods on earth, despite false claims saying otherwise.
Historically, eggs have been looked at as being unhealthy due to their cholesterol content. One large egg has 212 mg of cholesterol, which, admittedly, is high compared to most other foods.
However, studies have proven that the dietary cholesterol found in eggs has no impact on the cholesterol levels in the blood. The truth is, eggs increase your HDL cholesterol (the good kind) and make your LDL cholesterol benign.
Studies on the link between egg consumption and health showed that there is no link between eggs and heart disease or stroke in people who are healthy.
Eggs are especially rich in lutein and zeaxanthin, which are powerful antioxidants. One study showed that eating an average of 1.3 egg yolks each day for 4 1/2 weeks can increase lutein levels by up to 50% and zeaxanthin levels by up to 142%. These two antioxidants are especially helpful for eye health and protecting against eye diseases such as macular degeneration and cataracts.
So, how are eggs one of the most nutritious foods on earth? The truth is, one egg contains all of the nutrients and fundamental elements that are required to grow a chicken. This means they are full of high-quality protein, essential vitamins and minerals, and healthy fats.
Specifically, one large egg has 77 calories, 5 g of fat, 6 g of protein, and all 9 of the essential amino acids that your body needs to thrive. They are a great source of iron, choline, phosphorus, vitamins A, B12, B2 and B5, and selenium. To get the healthiest eggs available, buy eggs that are enriched with omega-3 fatty acids. Also, be sure to eat the yolk of the egg because this is where most of the nutrients lie.
The choline that is found in eggs is essential for brain health. Choline helps in the process of building cell wall membranes, which creates the molecules that are critical for brain signaling. Choline is also needed for the brain to be able to make acetylcholine, which is the chemical required to store memories.
Choline also helps prevent homocysteine from accumulating in your blood and helps to reduce chronic inflammation. Choline is a necessary nutrient for pregnant women, as it aids in the prevention of certain birth defects such as spina bifida and it helps ensure proper brain development.
According to one study, a mere 8% of American adults have ample levels of choline in their diet, and only 8.5% of pregnant women are getting the amount of choline that is needed for optimal health.
This shows that it is hard to get enough choline into your diet without eating eggs or taking a supplement. Symptoms that are associated with low levels of choline include memory troubles, fatigue, and brain fog. Your body is only able to process small amounts of choline at a time, so you need to eat it in small amounts on a regular basis.
Eggs are a great thing to eat if you are trying to lose weight because they make you feel full without giving your body too many calories. They hardly contain any carbohydrates, which also means that they won't lead to spikes in your blood sugar that are one of the principle causes of weight gain.
In one study, 30 women suffering from obesity ate either a bagel or eggs for breakfast. The women in the group who ate eggs for breakfast ended up eating fewer calories during lunch, as well as for the remainder of the day. Another study showed that overweight adults who ate eggs for breakfast instead of a bagel experienced a 61% greater reduction in BMI, 65% more weight loss, and 16% more reduction in body fat during the eight-week study. The interesting thing was that both groups had the same number of calories for breakfast, they just ate them in two different forms.
Seeing that eggs are extraordinarily nutritious, great for weight loss, and high in antioxidants, they are a fantastic super food that should be added to anyone's diet who is looking to optimize their health. Eggs are also inexpensive, taste good, and are very versatile to use in a variety of dishes.
