This is a food staple that is a nutritious powerhouse, but it does not get the recognition it deserves, and many people still view them with suspicion.
This is due to the belief that eggs induce high cholesterol levels.
Nevertheless, far from being unhealthy for us, eggs carry a nutritious punch above their weight in a convenient, portion-controlled shell.
One egg contains more than 25% of the recommended daily amount of selenium, an antioxidant related to a lower risk of cancer, 20% of the recommended daily amount of vitamin B12, which helps fight tiredness, and plant compounds like lutein and zeaxanthin (vital for eye health).
These nutrients can be found in many plants, but since they are fat-soluble and dissolve best in the presence of fat, which is present in yolk, our systems absorb them better when they come from eggs.
Moreover, eggs are a superb source of protein.
Health Guru Dr. Megan Rossi, writing for Daily Mail, says that it’s a popular misperception that we receive enough protein in our diets, but many elderly adults, in particular, don’t.
A 2020 study of people in South Yorkshire between the ages of 65 and 89 found that less than half were getting the advised amount of protein every day, which is 0.75g per kg of body weight. This translates to 45g per day for a woman of an average weight of 60 kg (9 st 6 lb) and 56 g per day for a man of typical weight of 75 kg (11 st 11 lb). (For reference, there are around 30g of protein in 100g of cooked chicken breast.)
Most international guidelines say that people should eat 1.2g per kg of body weight, but only 15% of the people in the South Yorkshire study came close to that amount. Their breakfasts were particularly deficient in protein; a boiled egg is the ideal remedy, according to the expert.
One egg has around 6g of protein, so a few a day meets more than a quarter of an average-sized woman’s daily protein requirements.
In addition, the protein in eggs is a complete protein, which means it includes all nine of the amino acids the body needs to generate and repair the hormones and tissues it relies on every day. These amino acids must be obtained from our food since the body cannot produce them.
But, if you are above 65, you should stagger your consumption throughout the day. As you become older, the process of breaking down protein into amino acids slows down unless you constantly “feed” it with extra protein. It’s similar to adding more wood to a fire to keep it going. As a result, if you just have one protein-rich meal each day, it’s likely that your body won’t use it as well.
To increase your intake throughout the day, you may eat eggs as a snack or as part of a meal, which is where they come in useful.
Eggs also include choline, which some experts worry is deficient in the diet. While you may not be familiar with it, choline supports several important processes.
Memory and mood are two of the brain’s functions that benefit from its presence, but it also plays a role in the creation of red blood cells, which helps combat fatigue, and it bolsters liver function.
During pregnancy and nursing, women need extra choline since it helps in the development of the baby’s brain.
Eggs are the greatest source of choline, although fish, poultry, and dairy are all good sources.
But what about eggs and their role in increasing cholesterol
It’s true that eggs contain a lot of cholesterol, and until recently, physicians would advise anybody with high cholesterol levels to stay away from them. But, as explained by the expert, we now know that cholesterol that comes from food (called “dietary” cholesterol) doesn’t tend to raise blood levels very much (unless you have familial hypercholesterolaemia or a hereditary tendency to high cholesterol).
But why?
“That’s because your liver produces all the cholesterol you need, and that process shuts down when you eat cholesterol-rich foods,” the expert writes.
Saturated fat and highly processed meals do boost our cholesterol because they block liver receptors that help remove cholesterol from the body, causing it to accumulate in the blood.
“So steer clear of having your eggs fried and served with steak and chips!”
There is evidence that eating a lot of eggs increases the chance of developing heart disease, but similar studies also suggest that those who consume more eggs also tend to consume more red meat. If red meat is eliminated from the mix, the danger seems to diminish.
It’s a common myth that eggs promote inflammation. This belief stems from the fact that eggs contain the fatty acid arachidonic acid, which has been associated with inflammation. The internet is flooded with articles saying that eliminating eggs from your diet may assist with conditions like arthritis.
The evidence, however, supports the opposite conclusion; a study of 21 studies, which was published in the Journal of Food and Agriculture in 2019, revealed no connection between eating eggs and inflammation.
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