Eggs are the Rodney Dangerfield of foods: They get no respect and, I must say, undeservedly so. Let's face it -- if you want a high-quality protein, eat eggs. Think about it: You're eating an entire animal, a full complement of the essential amino acids. In addition, eggs are a rich source of thiamine, riboflavin, pantothenic acid, folic acid, Vitamin B12, biotin, Vitamin D, Vitamin E and phosphorus. 1 Seems like a complete food, right?
Don't Throw Those Yolks Away!
How often have you cracked those eggshells and daintily dropped the whites into a mixing bowl only to discard the yolks down your kitchen sink faster than you kick dog droppings off your shoes? Why the visceral antipathy toward those bright-yellow orbs? Have we been brainwashed by the "anti-egg lobby"? Well, yes. The old adage that nothing is as bad as the doom-and-gloom dietary crowd makes it out to be is very true in this case.
One of the most extensive studies of egg consumption in the United States examined dietary intake of more than 27,000 individuals and found that the daily nutrient intake of egg consumers was significantly greater than that of non-egg consumers.2 Vitamins B12 , C, E and A were ingested in greater quantities in the egg consumers, and those who ate four or more eggs daily had lower blood cholesterol levels than those who ate one egg or less daily.
Further, in 24 healthy adults (median age 40) who added two boiled eggs to their daily diets for six weeks, HDL (the "good" cholesterol) increased 10%, total cholesterol increased 4% and the total cholesterol/HDL cholesterol ratio didn't change.3 Think something must be wrong with this data? In a sample of 76 bodybuilders who followed an atherogenic (artery-damaging) diet characterized by high fat and high cholesterol, cholesterol intake was due mainly to egg consumption, which ranged from 0-81 eggs per week.4 Interestingly, blood cholesterol levels didn't differ between those who consumed high or low amounts of eggs, and HDL cholesterol concentrations were higher in those who consumed more eggs.
Designer Eggs
Regular chicken eggs aren't as bad as the naysayers have claimed and are, in fact, chock-full of nutrients and protein. But scientists couldn't leave a good thing alone, so along came "designer eggs," which have in some way been fortified with extra Vitamin E, lutein (an antioxidant), selenium and/or omega-3 fatty acids, all of which are good for you. A study in the prestigious European Journal of Clinical Nutrition enlisted 40 healthy men and women to consume either one "normal" egg or one "designer" egg daily for eight weeks. The designer eggs won hands-down; subjects' blood levels of Vitamin E, lutein (more on this later), selenium (a mineral that works with E to fight free radicals) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, a type of healthful polyunsaturated fat) were higher.5
Think something cooked up in the lab won't taste as good as the real thing? Seventy-eight volunteers couldn't distinguish the taste or smell of designer vs. regular eggs.6
How many can you consume daily?
Evidence shows that consuming 1-2 whole eggs daily doesn't adversely affect blood lipid parameters.
An Eyeful
Clearly, if you can get all the essential amino acids with a truckload of vitamins and minerals from eggs, this is a food you need to incorporate into your diet. Since designer eggs have higher levels of omega-3 fats that are usually found in fish, designer eggs may be the way to go if you live in Nebraska and can't get enough good seafood. Omega-3 fats may lower the incidence of heart disease, arthritis and psoriasis if consumed regularly, and may have an anti-inflammatory role that could benefit injured muscle. Why is this good? Well, inflammation is a normal and necessary component of skeletal muscle adaptation to intense exercise. Take some fish fat or designer eggs and you may just speed up your postexercise recovery process.
Yet another wonderful ingredient found in eggs is lutein, an antioxidant that's important in preventing age-related macular degeneration (a disease of the eye). Certainly, if you value your vision, lutein is a must.
Take-Home Message
You can consume eggs regularly without harm. As said by scientists at the University of Tennessee Health Sciences Center in Memphis, "No association was seen between egg consumption at levels up to 1+ egg per day and the risk of coronary heart disease in non-diabetic men and women."7 So don't waste the precious vitamins, minerals and nutrients in the yolk. Include a yolk or two in your egg-white omelet.
Egg Facts
1 large whole egg
77 calories
6.3 g protein
0.6 g carbohydrate
5.3 g fat
1 large egg white
17 calories
3.5 g protein
0.3 g carbohydrate
0 g fat
Credits:
Jose Antonio, PhD, CSCS, is a fellow of the American College of Sports Medicine. He's an assistant professor at the University of Delaware (Newark) in the department of health and exercise science.
References: Pennington, J.A.T. Food values of portions commonly used. Philadelphia, PA: J.B. Lippincott Co., 1994.
Don't Throw Those Yolks Away!
How often have you cracked those eggshells and daintily dropped the whites into a mixing bowl only to discard the yolks down your kitchen sink faster than you kick dog droppings off your shoes? Why the visceral antipathy toward those bright-yellow orbs? Have we been brainwashed by the "anti-egg lobby"? Well, yes. The old adage that nothing is as bad as the doom-and-gloom dietary crowd makes it out to be is very true in this case.
One of the most extensive studies of egg consumption in the United States examined dietary intake of more than 27,000 individuals and found that the daily nutrient intake of egg consumers was significantly greater than that of non-egg consumers.2 Vitamins B12 , C, E and A were ingested in greater quantities in the egg consumers, and those who ate four or more eggs daily had lower blood cholesterol levels than those who ate one egg or less daily.
Further, in 24 healthy adults (median age 40) who added two boiled eggs to their daily diets for six weeks, HDL (the "good" cholesterol) increased 10%, total cholesterol increased 4% and the total cholesterol/HDL cholesterol ratio didn't change.3 Think something must be wrong with this data? In a sample of 76 bodybuilders who followed an atherogenic (artery-damaging) diet characterized by high fat and high cholesterol, cholesterol intake was due mainly to egg consumption, which ranged from 0-81 eggs per week.4 Interestingly, blood cholesterol levels didn't differ between those who consumed high or low amounts of eggs, and HDL cholesterol concentrations were higher in those who consumed more eggs.
Designer Eggs
Regular chicken eggs aren't as bad as the naysayers have claimed and are, in fact, chock-full of nutrients and protein. But scientists couldn't leave a good thing alone, so along came "designer eggs," which have in some way been fortified with extra Vitamin E, lutein (an antioxidant), selenium and/or omega-3 fatty acids, all of which are good for you. A study in the prestigious European Journal of Clinical Nutrition enlisted 40 healthy men and women to consume either one "normal" egg or one "designer" egg daily for eight weeks. The designer eggs won hands-down; subjects' blood levels of Vitamin E, lutein (more on this later), selenium (a mineral that works with E to fight free radicals) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, a type of healthful polyunsaturated fat) were higher.5
Think something cooked up in the lab won't taste as good as the real thing? Seventy-eight volunteers couldn't distinguish the taste or smell of designer vs. regular eggs.6
How many can you consume daily?
Evidence shows that consuming 1-2 whole eggs daily doesn't adversely affect blood lipid parameters.
An Eyeful
Clearly, if you can get all the essential amino acids with a truckload of vitamins and minerals from eggs, this is a food you need to incorporate into your diet. Since designer eggs have higher levels of omega-3 fats that are usually found in fish, designer eggs may be the way to go if you live in Nebraska and can't get enough good seafood. Omega-3 fats may lower the incidence of heart disease, arthritis and psoriasis if consumed regularly, and may have an anti-inflammatory role that could benefit injured muscle. Why is this good? Well, inflammation is a normal and necessary component of skeletal muscle adaptation to intense exercise. Take some fish fat or designer eggs and you may just speed up your postexercise recovery process.
Yet another wonderful ingredient found in eggs is lutein, an antioxidant that's important in preventing age-related macular degeneration (a disease of the eye). Certainly, if you value your vision, lutein is a must.
Take-Home Message
You can consume eggs regularly without harm. As said by scientists at the University of Tennessee Health Sciences Center in Memphis, "No association was seen between egg consumption at levels up to 1+ egg per day and the risk of coronary heart disease in non-diabetic men and women."7 So don't waste the precious vitamins, minerals and nutrients in the yolk. Include a yolk or two in your egg-white omelet.
Egg Facts
1 large whole egg
77 calories
6.3 g protein
0.6 g carbohydrate
5.3 g fat
1 large egg white
17 calories
3.5 g protein
0.3 g carbohydrate
0 g fat
Credits:
Jose Antonio, PhD, CSCS, is a fellow of the American College of Sports Medicine. He's an assistant professor at the University of Delaware (Newark) in the department of health and exercise science.
References: Pennington, J.A.T. Food values of portions commonly used. Philadelphia, PA: J.B. Lippincott Co., 1994.
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