7 health benefits of eggs
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Many people believe that eating eggs may be bad for your health. Here are some excellent reasons to justify why eating eggs can make you healthier, brainier, leaner and stronger
Eggs are among the few foods that I would classify as “superfoods.”
They are loaded with nutrients, some of which are rare in the modern diet.
Here are 10 health benefits of eggs that have been confirmed in human studies.
1. Eggs Are Incredibly Nutritious
Eggs are among the most nutritious foods on the planet.
A whole egg contains all the nutrients required to turn a single cell into a baby chicken.
A single large boiled egg contains :
- Vitamin A: 6% of the RDA.
- Folate: 5% of the RDA.
- Vitamin B5: 7% of the RDA.
- Vitamin B12: 9% of the RDA.
- Vitamin B2: 15% of the RDA.
- Phosphorus: 9% of the RDA.
- Selenium: 22% of the RDA.
- Eggs also contain decent amounts of Vitamin D, Vitamin E, Vitamin K, Vitamin B6, Calcium and Zinc.
This is coming with 77 calories, 6 grams of protein and 5 grams of healthy fats.
Eggs also contain various other trace nutrients that are important for health.
Really… eggs are pretty much the perfect food, they contain a little bit of almost every nutrient we need.
If you can get your hands on pastured or Omega-3 enriched eggs, then these are even better. They have more Omega-3s and are much higher in Vitamin A and E
2. Eggs Are High in Cholesterol, But They Don’t Adversely Affect Blood Cholesterol
It is true that eggs are high in cholesterol.
In fact, a single egg contains 212 mg, which is over half of the recommended daily intake of 300 mg.
However… it’s important to keep in mind that cholesterol in the diet doesn’t necessarily raise cholesterol in the blood
The liver actually produces large amounts of cholesterol every single day. When we eat more eggs, the liver just produces less cholesterol instead, so it evens out .
- In 70% of people, eggs don’t raise cholesterol at all.
- In the other 30% (termed “hyper responders”), eggs can mildly raise Total and LDL cholesterol.
However, as I will outline later in the article, the situation is a bit more complicated than that and these changes are actually beneficial.
(Exceptions… people with genetic disorders like familial hypercholesterolemia or a gene type called ApoE4 may want to minimize or avoid eggs.).
3. Eggs Raise HDL (The “Good”) Cholesterol
HDL stands for High Density Lipoprotein. It is often known as the “good” cholesterol
People who have higher levels of HDL usually have a lower risk of heart disease, stroke and various health problems
Eating eggs is a great way to increase HDL.
In one study, 2 eggs per day for 6 weeks increased HDL levels by 10% .
Bottom Line: Egg consumption consistently leads to elevated levels of HDL (the “good”) cholesterol, which is linked to a reduced risk of many diseases.
4. Eggs Contain Choline – an Important Nutrient That Most People Don’t Get Enough of
Choline is a nutrient that most people don’t even know exists
Yet, it is an incredibly important substance and is often grouped with the B vitamins.
Choline is used to build cell membranes and has a role in producing signalling molecules in the brain, along with various other functions
Dietary surveys have shown that about 90% of people in the U.S. are getting less than the recommended amount of choline
Whole eggs are an excellent source of choline. A single egg contains more than 100 mg of this very important nutrient.
5. Eggs Contain Lutein and Zeaxanthin, Antioxidants That Have Major Benefits For Eye Health
One of the consequences of ageing is that eyesight tends to get worse.
There are several nutrients that help counteract some of the degenerative processes that can affect our eyes.
Two of these are called Lutein and Zeaxanthin, powerful antioxidants that tend to build up in the retina of the eye Studies show that consuming adequate amounts of these nutrients can significantly reduce the risk of cataracts and macular degeneration, two very common eye disorders
Egg yolks actually contain large amounts of both Lutein and Zeaxanthin.
In one controlled trial, eating just 1.3 egg yolks per day for 4.5 weeks increased blood levels of Lutein by 28-50% and Zeaxanthin by 114-142%
Eggs are also high in Vitamin A, which deserves another mention here. Vitamin A deficiency is the most common cause of blindness in the world
Bottom Line: The antioxidants Lutein and Zeaxanthin are very important for eye health and can help prevent macular degeneration and cataracts. Eggs are high in both of them.
6. In the Case of Omega-3 or Pastured Eggs, They Lower Triglycerides as Well
Of course, it doesn’t just matter what we eat… it also matters what the foods that we eat, ate.
In this regard, not all eggs are created equal. Their nutrient composition varies depending on how the hens were fed and raised.
Eggs from hens that are raised on pasture and/or fed Omega-3 enriched feeds tend to be much higher in Omega-3 fatty acids.
Omega-3 fatty acids are known to reduce blood levels of triglycerides, a well known risk factor for heart disease
Studies show that consuming Omega-3 enriched eggs is a very effective way to reduce triglycerides in the blood. In one of the studies, just 5 omega-3 enriched eggs per week for 3 weeks reduced triglycerides by 16-18%
Bottom Line: Omega-3 enriched and pastured eggs contain significant amounts of Omega-3 fatty acids. Eating these types of eggs is an effective way to reduce blood triglycerides.
7. Eggs Are High in Quality Protein, With All The Essential Amino Acids in The Right Ratios
Proteins are the main building blocks of the human body.
They’re used to make all sorts of tissues and molecules that serve both structural and functional purposes.
Getting enough protein in the diet is very important and studies show that currently recommended amounts may be too low.
Well… eggs are an excellent source of protein, with a single large egg containing 6 grams.
Eggs contain all the essential amino acids in the right ratios, so our bodies are well equipped to make full use of the protein in them.
Eating adequate protein can help with weight loss, increase muscle mass, lower blood pressure and optimize bone health… to name a few
Bottom Line: Eggs are fairly high in quality animal protein and contain all the essential amino acids that humans need.
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