Health Benefits of Eggs

Health Benefits of Eggs

The public perception of eggs over the past decade has been skewed. For quite a long time they were thought to be bad for you because they were high in cholesterol. Today, studies have shown that they are an excellent source of nutrition and can frequently be enjoyed without any problems. Whether you enjoy eggs for breakfast or as a delicious meal any time of the day, you will love them even more after you learn about the proven health benefits. While all types of eggs can be a great addition to your diet, those looked at here are chicken eggs.

Nutritional Information

To start with, let’s look at the nutritional facts. Eggs contain all the nutrients that are needed to take a single cell and have it develop into a little chick. When you think about it, this is quite remarkable! Unlike mammals, the chicken does not have an ongoing source of nutrition; therefore, it develops in a self-sustaining environment which is nourished with all the essential nutrients, such as:

• Folate – 5% of RDA
• Vitamin A – 6% of RDA
• Vitamin B5 – 7% of RDA
• Vitamin B12 – 9% of RDA
• Vitamin B2 – 15% of RDA
• Phosphorus – 9% of RDA
• Selenium – 22% of RDA
• Protein – 6 Grams
• Healthy Fats – 5 Grams
• Calories – 77

Furthermore, they also contain Vitamin D, E, K, B6, Calcium, and Zinc. To put it simply, eggs have a good amount of virtually everything you need. Also, if you choose free-range eggs that consume a natural diet, you will be getting lots of Omega-3 fatty acids!

Don’t Negatively Affect Cholesterol

We’ve been told for years that eggs are loaded with cholesterol, and it is true. One egg has 212mg of cholesterol, which is over 50% of the RDA. The fact is, that it doesn’t matter. The cholesterol in eggs does not _correlate directly to an increase in cholesterol in the blood. This is because your liver, which is responsible for creating cholesterol, will reduce its output based on your diet. Studies have shown that in 70% of people, consuming eggs has no impact on their cholesterol at all. Even in the other 30%, the raise in total and LDL cholesterol was fairly mild. The only real exceptions are in people with genetic disorders that affects cholesterol levels, who will want to discuss their diet, including egg consumption, with their doctors.

Improve the Good Cholesterol

Eggs have been shown to raise HDL, which is the healthy type of cholesterol. People who have healthy levels of HDL present a reduced risk of heart disease, strokes and a variety of other health issues. A study that had people eating two eggs each day for a total of six weeks increased their HDL levels by 10%, which is very significant.

You will See the Benefits of Eggs

Ok, sorry for the pun, but eggs can help improve your eye health. This is because they contain both Lutein and Zeaxanthin, which have been shown to help slow down or even reverse macular degeneration (normal process of aging). A study found that people who ate just 1.3 egg yolks each day over a period of four and a half weeks had their levels of Lutein increase by 28-50%, and levels of Zeaxanthin rose by an impressive 114-142%. This is a huge improvement and can help provide your eyes with what they need to stay strong and healthy for years to come.

Eggs can Help You Eat Less

Eggs have a lot of protein as well as a variety of other essential nutrients. This helps them to make you feel fuller for longer. In fact, there was a study that took 30 women who were overweight and had them consume eggs rather than bagels for breakfast. This triggered a feeling of fullness, which caused them to consume fewer calories over the next 36 hours (with no other changes). A similar study found that replacing bagels with eggs for breakfast can help people lose a significant amount of weight.

Enjoy Your Eggs

The above health benefits of eggs are just scratching the surface. As more and more studies are completed, it seems clear that eggs are a very healthy part of a diet for many people. The fact that they are such a flexible food, which can be eaten in so many ways, makes it easy to incorporate them into your daily routine. In addition to being such a healthy food, they are also easy to prepare and very inexpensive, which makes them perfect for just about anyone. So, whether you love them hard boiled, poached, over-easy or just scrambled, make sure you include eggs in your diet whenever possible.