What You Need To Know About Eggs

For a long time, eggs had a bad cholesterol rap, but these days they top the list of must have whole foods. Eggs are an excellent source of nutrients and protein. Here are some great facts that you may not have known about eggs.

• Whole eggs contain almost every essential vitamin and mineral needed by the human body, with the exception of vitamin C.
• One egg contains 6 grams of high-quality protein and all 9 amino acids.
• Egg white protein is used as the gold standard in comparison to other proteins. In other words, you just can’t get much better than this.
• Egg yolks offer essential vitamins such as vitamins A, D, E, and K, which are not found in the egg white. On top of that, they are one of the only naturally occurring sources of vitamin D.
• One egg contains just 5 grams of fat, and only 1.5 grams of that is saturated fat.
• A study done by the Harvard School of Public Health concluded that there is no significant link between egg consumption and heart disease. New research has shown that moderate consumption of eggs does not negatively affect cholesterol levels as previously thought.
• Egg yolks contain lutein and zeaxanthin. Research has shown that people who consume foods rich in these two carotenoids, have a lower risk for age related macular degeneration and heart disease.
• Eggs promote healthy hair and nails.
• There is no recommended daily limit on how many eggs we should eat. However that is not a green light to OD on eggs. Eggs should be incorporated as part of a healthy balanced diet. As with anything, moderation and variation is the key.
• Cage free, omega-3, organic, grain fed…which type of eggs should I choose?

If you can afford the price tag, its best to choose “free-range”, “cage-free”, or “organic” omega-3 eggs from vegetarian fed chickens. Also look for USDA Grade AA or A and make sure to check the expiration date before you load up your grocery cart with these little jewels. Commercially bred chickens that are confined to cages and eat standard feed may produce eggs containing antibiotics. This issue could be contributing to the escalating epidemic of antibiotic-resistant bacteria throughout the world. This is a whole article in and of itself, but the main take away is that in order to cut down on the consumption of antibiotic residue and other toxins found in conventionally raised chickens, its best to buy organic eggs or free-range eggs whenever possible.