Are Eggs Good For You?
The fear people have about eating eggs is the cholestorol level found in them. Numerous studies have tried to make the connection between cholestorol and coronary heart disease. And while there may be some connection, you have to look at the bigger picture. Consider Japan, for example. Japan has some of the lowest rates of coronary heart disease in the world. Their diet frequently includes eggs. So why do the Japanese not have high rates of coronary heart disease? The answer is that the Japanese diet is relatively low in saturated and total fat. What does this tell us?
This tells us that eggs alone are not going to cause you to have a heart attack.
Modern dietary recommendations are moving away from the idea of avoiding certain foods, opting instead for a balanced approach to a person's diet. In other words, if your diet includes a wide range of foods and you eat everything in moderation, your health will be arguably better than if you avoid certain foods entirely. Look at the Mediterranean diet, for example: they love to cook with oil and the food is tasty. Spicy meats, potatoes and vegetables roasted in olive oil, eggs, and dairy products are often a huge part of the Mediterranean diet. Their diet is seen as a healthy option, even though we might be tempted to say it's too high in fat.
Thus, you should not be thinking about being afraid of eating fat or avoiding eggs. Eggs are a rich nutritional source. The only reason you should avoid eggs is simply because you don't like the taste. Any other reason is simply the result of fear-mongering. Eggs have earned a bad reputation through media and ad campaigns that are trying to explain the cause of heart disease. The reality is that even the most seasoned experts can really only make educated guesses about what causes it. The debate always comes back to the idea that fats and cholestorol are bad. But let's not forget, the body actually needs these substances. It's only when we eat them excessively that they can cause a problem. Here are some facts about eggs and cholestorol:
Some Facts About Eggs and Cholestorol
Cholestorol helps yours body. Can you believe it? We are always told how bad it is. But it actually has a number of functions. It helps your body build new cells, which is essential for things like growth and regeneration. It also helps to insulate your nerves and produce hormones. Can you imagine if your nerves weren't insulated? This would cause serious problems because nerves send signals around your body. Nerves are a bit like the body's navigation system. Hormones are used for lots of different things, so chaos would ensue if you didn't eat cholestorol so that they can be produced. Therefore, cholestorol is only bad if you eat so much of it that your body can't process it and it builds up in the bloodstream. So how much cholestorol should you eat?
The American Heart Association's current nutrition guidelines state that cholestorol should be limited to 300 mg per day.
One large egg yolk has 200 mg cholestorol.
Therefore, you can safely eat an egg every day: and yes, this includes the yolk.
The cholestorol level of an egg is really the only thing that makes it an imperfect food. The cholestorol level should not deter you, however. Stick to a limit of one egg a day and figure out what other foods are high in cholestorol. Try to limit your cholestorol to the recommended 300mg per day and you will sustain a healthy diet.
Now let's look at the good nutrients found in eggs:
Protein
Saturated, polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats (yes fat is good for you: in moderation!)
Sodium (yes, the body also needs sodium: just don't overdo it!)
Potassium
Calcium
Vitamin A
Vitamin D
Iron
Vitamin B6
Cobalamin 10%
Magnesium 1%
Yes: eggs really do contain all of these nutrients! They are good for you, so stop worrying! Like anything else, they should be eaten in moderation. No one would argue that organic lettuce is good for you, but a diet based entirely on organic lettuce is going to cause problems. In the same way, eggs are a great source of many nutrients, and eating one a day combined with a healthy, balanced diet will do absolutely no harm. If you're eating ten slices of bacon for breakfast and then a burger for lunch, adding eggs to the mix will obviously increase your risk of various diseases including coronary heart disease. The key is to be sensible. Eggs are not the enemy! A fried egg with toast for breakfast is perfectly fine. Here is a healthy breakfast recipe including eggs for you to try:
Recipe from The Incredible Egg:
This recipe can serve 2 people, so you don't need to worry about the fact that it contains 2 eggs. When making for 2, feel free to add a slice of toast to make it more substantial.
Ingredients
2 eggs
2tbsp. water
1 tsp. butter
¼ cup shredded mexican cheese blend
¼ cup chunky salsa
Directions
Beat eggs and water in small bowl until evenly blended.
Melt butter in microwave (10 to 15 seconds) in a suitable bowl that will hold the egg mixture
Make sure the melted butter covers the entire bottom of the bowl.
Pour in egg mixture
Cover with plastic wrap or use a microwave cover.
Microwave on high for 2 minutes.
Check that no liquid egg remains. Reheat if necessary.
Season with salt and pepper, sprinkle on the cheese .
Microwave for another 10-30 seconds to melt the cheese.
Serve with salsa and toast if desired.
The great thing about this recipe is you can add anything you like to it.
Why not try it with some fried spinach or tomato? Delicious.
