Health Benefits of Eating Eggs

Kris Gunnars BSc writes:
"Eggs are one of the few foods that should be classified as "superfoods." They are loaded with nutrients, some of which are rare in the modern diet. Here are ten health benefits of eggs that have been confirmed in human studies.

1. Incredibly Nutritious

Eggs are among the most nutritious foods on the planet. 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 comes with 77 calories, 6 grams of protein and 5 grams of healthy fats. Eggs also contain various trace nutrients that are important for health. In fact, eggs are pretty much the perfect food. They contain a little bit of almost every nutrient you need. If you can get your hands on pastured or omega-3 enriched eggs, these are even better. They contain higher amounts of omega-3 fat and are much higher in vitamin A and E.
Summary Whole eggs are among the most nutritious foods on the planet, containing a little bit of almost every nutrient you need. Omega-3 enriched and/or pastured eggs are even healthier. 

2. High in Cholesterol, but 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 you increase your intake of dietary cholesterol, your liver simply produces less cholesterol to even it out. Nevertheless, the response to eating eggs varies between individuals. In 70% of people, eggs don't raise cholesterol at all, and in the other 30% (termed "hyper responders"), eggs can mildly raise total and LDL cholesterol. However, people with genetic disorders like familial hypercholesterolemia or a gene variant called ApoE4 may want to limit or avoid eggs.
Summary Eggs are high in cholesterol, but eating eggs does not adversely affect cholesterol in the blood for the majority of people. 

3. 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 other health problems. Eating eggs is a great way to increase HDL. In one study, eating two eggs per day for six weeks increased HDL levels by 10%.
Summary Eating eggs consistently leads to elevated levels of HDL (the "good") cholesterol, which is linked to a lower risk of many diseases. 

4. 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. 

Summary Eggs are among the best dietary sources of choline, a nutrient that is incredibly important but most people aren’t getting enough of. 

5. Are Linked to a Reduced Risk of Heart Disease 

LDL cholesterol is generally known as the "bad" cholesterol. It is well known that having high levels of LDL is linked to an increased risk of heart disease. But many people don't realize that LDL is divided into subtypes based on the size of the particles. There are small, dense LDL particles and large LDL particles. Many studies have shown that people who have predominantly small, dense LDL particles have a higher risk of heart disease than people who have mostly large LDL particles. Even if eggs tend to mildly raise LDL cholesterol in some people, studies show that the particles change from small, dense to large LDL, which is an improvement.
Summary Egg consumption appears to change the pattern of LDL particles from small, dense LDL (bad) to large LDL, which is linked to a reduced heart disease risk. 

6. Contain Lutein and Zeaxanthin — Antioxidants That Have Major Benefits for Eye Health 

One of the consequences of aging 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. They are powerful antioxidants that accumulate 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 contain large amounts of both lutein and zeaxanthin. 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.
Summary 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. 

7. Omega-3 or Pastured Eggs Lower Triglycerides 

Not all eggs are created equal. Their nutrient composition varies depending on how the hens were fed and raised. 

Summary Omega-3 enriched and pastured eggs may contain significant amounts of omega-3 fatty acids. Eating these types of eggs is an effective way to reduce blood triglycerides. 

8. High in Quality Protein, With All the Essential Amino Acids in the Right Ratios 

Proteins are the main building blocks of the human body. Eggs are an excellent source of protein, with a single large egg containing six grams of it. Eggs also contain all the essential amino acids in the right ratios, so your body is well-equipped to make full use of the protein in them. Eating enough protein can help with weight loss, increase muscle mass, lower blood pressure and optimize bone health, to name a few. 

Summary Eggs are fairly high in quality animal protein and contain all the essential amino acids that humans need. 

9. Don’t Raise Your Risk of Heart Disease and May Reduce the Risk of Stroke 

For many decades, eggs have been unfairly demonized. It has been claimed that because of the cholesterol in them, they must be bad for the heart. Many studies published in recent years have examined the relationship between eating eggs and the risk of heart disease. One review of 17 studies with a total of 263,938 participants found no association between egg intake and heart disease or stroke. On a low-carb diet, which is by far the best diet for people with diabetes, eating eggs leads to improvements in risk factors for heart disease.
Summary Many studies have looked at egg intake and the risk of heart disease and found no association. However, some studies have found an increased risk in people with type 2 diabetes. 

10. Are Filling and Tend to Make You Eat Fewer Calories, Helping You Lose Weight 

Eggs are incredibly filling. They are a high-protein food, and protein is, by far, the most satiating macronutrient. Eggs score high on a scale called the satiety index, which measures the ability of foods to cause feelings of fullness and reduce later calorie intake. In one study of 30 overweight women, eating eggs instead of bagels for breakfast increased feelings of fullness and made them automatically eat fewer calories for the next 36 hours. In another study, replacing a bagel breakfast with an egg breakfast caused significant weight loss over a period of eight weeks. 

Summary Eggs are highly satiating and may reduce calorie intake later in the day. Regularly eating eggs may promote weight loss.

The Bottom Line 

Studies clearly show that eating up to three whole eggs per day is perfectly safe. There is no evidence that going beyond that is harmful — it is just "uncharted territory," as it hasn't been studied. Eggs are pretty much nature's perfect food. On top of everything else, they are also cheap, easy to prepare, go with almost any food and taste awesome."

The words above are just a snippet from Kris's post. You can see his full article which includes all research and related links, here

How about this vegetarian breakfast made easy, packed with protein, and yes it uses eggs! What could be better ...

Breakfast Casserole : Vegetarian low carb / keto

Ingredients:

Serves Four

5g carbs per serving

½ leek

1⁄3 cup / 75ml green olives

12 eggs

1 cup / 225ml heavy (double) whipping cream

7 oz. / 200g shredded (grated) cheese

1 teaspoon onion powder

3 oz. / 75g cherry tomatoes

1 oz. / 30g parmesan cheese, shredded (grated)

salt and pepper 

Of course you may wish to experiment by adding different kinds of vegetables, herbs and seasonings. Note, that you may need to sauté harder veggies like broccoli, cauliflower and cabbage a few minutes before adding them to the dish. Approx. five minutes to prepare and 45 minutes to cook ... and you can see the cooking instructions at Diet Doctor site here

Dear reader; a variety of articles and recipe ideas are found within this blog, and not all may be suitable for you. If you may have any food allergies, or underlying health issues these must always be taken into account. If you are a diabetic and not sure how certain foods may affect your blood sugars, test is best, i.e. use your meter.

All the best Jan