Why Are Eggs Good for Our Health?
Why Are Eggs Good for Our Health?
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Eggs have been present at the humans’ table for centuries. They belong to oldest foods, and as such, they had been consumed by Egyptians, Sumerians, ancient Greek and Romans. However, in our modern world, eggs somehow become ambiguous food. There are many misconceptions and myths, hovering around this highly nutritious animal product. The most widespread myth is about cholesterol. Namely, eggs have long been considered as bad food for our heart health because of their high level of cholesterol. For this reason, many of us reduced the number of eggs in our diet, while others completely excluded this precious food from their menu. Today, we know that cholesterol is very important for our health, and it comes in two forms – dietary cholesterol and blood cholesterol. Dietary cholesterol refers to one we take from food while blood cholesterol is a product of our body. Scientists have revealed long ago that dietary cholesterol has no effect on our blood cholesterol. They go even further and claim that one egg per day is ideal for our general health condition. According to them, eggs represent highly nutritious food, rich in vitamin D, protein, and vitamin B12, which is hard to find in other food.To learn more about the nutritional value of eggs, the article “Eggs Don’t Deserve Their Bad Reputation, Studies Show (Op-Ed)” gives us some interesting facts.
Why Are Eggs Good for Our Health?
Protein. Eggs are considered the gold standard that other proteins are measured against. Because of the superior amino acid mix, an egg’s six grams of protein are absorbed easily and efficiently used by the body. The egg is also low-calorie (74 calories).
Choline. Yolks are one of the best sources of this essential nutrient. Choline is needed for brain development in a growing fetus and may also be important for brain function in adults.
Lutein and Zeaxanthin. These two, important, beneficial phytochemicals found in egg yolks (as well as kale and spinach) help prevent eye diseases, especially cataracts and age-related macular degeneration. While eggs contain less lutein and zeaxanthin than greens, these phytochemicals are more absorbable because of the presence of fat in the yolk.
Vitamin D. Eggs are one of the few natural sources of Vitamin D, important for the bones and teeth. Vitamin D aids the absorption of calcium, which is important for the heart and colon, as well.
Apart from being a rich source of animal protein, eggs do not contain much fat. For many of us, it can be surprising that eggs contain unsaturated fats. Many people avoid yolks because of cholesterol and fat for years. But, as we have already seen, there is no need to worry about yolks, cholesterol, or fat. Dietitians inform us that yolks do not contain any danger to our health, because they are low in saturated fats and cannot raise blood cholesterol. Moreover, yolks are rich in protein and contain vitamins, minerals, and omega 3 essential oils. The only danger they warn us about lies in a possibility of eating eggs with other animal products. This type of diet can put our health at risk. Otherwise, if taken solely as a meal, eggs can hugely benefit our organism and improve our overall health condition.
