10 Reasons Eggs Are The Best Food On The Planet
Somehow, eggs seem to be one of the most misunderstood foods. Due to some half-baked science in the 60s, many still believe eggs should be avoided like the plague. What subsequent studies have indicated is actually quite the opposite. Barring “hyper responders” who may see a mild increase in blood cholesterol, a majority of the population will not see any notable negative impacts with moderate egg consumption. To summarize a very complex series of mechanisms: when paired with an otherwise healthy and balanced diet, the liver will produce more or less cholesterol based on dietary intake. Learn more here.
I am not a doctor nor am I a registered health professional - all nutritional advice is based on my own research/experience and should be considered just that, advice.
Versatility
With so many ways to prepare eggs, the options are endless. Poached, scrambled, basted, boiled, and more! Eggs are one of the most versatile foods around, proving to be the cornerstone of countless recipes.
Packed with Nutrients
Vitamins A, B5, B12, D, E, K, B6
Folate
Phosphorus
Selenium
Calcium
Zinc
Six grams of protein
Five grams of healthy fats
Commonly referred to as “nature’s multivitamin”, a large egg contains 77 calories, with 6 grams of quality protein, 5 grams of fat and trace amounts of carbohydrates.
Eggs also contain small amounts of almost every vitamin and mineral required by the human body, including calcium, iron, potassium, zinc, manganese, vitamin E, folate and many more.
Eat it at Any Time of Day
Breakfast? Lunch? Dinner? Snack? Eggs provide a delicious and healthy alternative to our modern world of heavily processed foods.
You can Farm Eggs Sustainably
Chickens! Sustainable egg farming is more accessible than one may expect. Even many dense cities and municipalities allow for small scale hen farms in backyards as long as they abide by break noise ordinances. Personal farms with free range hens are ideal for nutrient dense eggs as birds are allowed to maintain a free range lifestyle, foraging for worms and consuming a diverse diet of greens and insects.
Maintain Eye Health
As we get older, we need to take better care of our eyes. Egg yolks contain large amounts of lutein and zeaxanthin, helpful antioxidants that help reduce the risk of cataracts and macular degeneration in the eyes. Eggs are also high in vitamin A, which is beneficial for eye health.
Lower Your Risk of Heart Disease
Did you know that heart disease is the number one cause of death in the United States? According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 610,000 people are killed by heart disease every year—that’s 1 in 4 deaths! In other words, eating for heart health is no joke. Free range organic eggs are a great place to start, thanks to their high omega-3 fatty acids content. This good fat helps lower blood triglycerides and keeps cholesterol levels down.
Improved Brain Health
Choline is a water-soluble vitamin that is often grouped with the B vitamins. It’s used to build cell membranes and helps produce signaling molecules in the brain. One hard-boiled egg has about 147 mg of choline, which is 27% of the daily value recommended by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Excellent Protein Source
Getting enough protein in our diets is an important way of helping our body’s health. Each egg contains about six grams of protein, as well as helpful amino acids. Getting our share of protein for the day can help with weight management, increase muscle mass, lower blood pleasure and help our bones, as well.
Improved Skin Health
Remember that sunlight can cause damage to the skin, even when you wear your SPF, and can cause scarring on any blemishes that may be present. Eating a diet rich in eggs can slow down the oxidative damage from UV rays. Additionally, the nutrients in eggs can help lower your chance of skin cancer. Eggs are an excellent dietary source of vitamin D which is sometimes tough to find in other common foods.
Eggs Are Satiating
You might have noticed that eating eggs for breakfast may keep you feeling fuller for longer — that’s generally attributed to the high protein content in eggs. Whether you have an omelette for breakfast or a hard-boiled egg as a snack, eggs can help you stay satisfied after or between meals.
In one study, 30 overweight or obese women consumed a breakfast of either eggs or bagels. Both breakfasts had the same amount of calories.
The women in the egg group felt more full and ate fewer calories for the rest of the day and for the next 36 hours.
In another study that went on for 8 weeks, eating eggs for breakfast led to significant weight loss compared to the same amount of calories from bagels. The egg group:
Lost 65% more body weight.
Lost 16% more body fat.
Had a 61% greater reduction in BMI.
Had a 34% greater reduction in waist circumference (a good marker for the dangerous belly fat).
Final Thoughts
Omega-3 helps reduce triglycerides, which are a type of lipid fat in the blood. That’s why eating Omega-3 enriched eggs may be an option, particularly if you don’t enjoy other foods (fish, nuts, seeds) that are naturally rich in Omega-3. (If your triglyceride level is below 150, you’re doing well; 150-199 is borderline high; 200-499 is high; and 500 and above is considered very high.) Your best bet for a well-rounded nutrient profile is to splurge on organic free range eggs - these will have a larger variety of micronutrients due to hen’s diets being based on insects, worms, and greens.
