There are many different types of eggs out there, and countless ways to prepare them. While each egg has its own story, the one that is most commonly consumed is the chicken egg. Eggs are a staple in the diet of many different countries, and there really aren’t restrictions on when you eat them. Breakfast, lunch, dinner, you name it, each meal has the potential for a lot of eggs on the plate.
You might know about some of the health benefits (and even the warnings) about eggs when it comes to your health, but maybe not in great detail. You might have already forgotten that eggs fall into the ‘meat’ category of the food pyramid that we have all come to know through the years. How often should you be eating eggs, and what benefits can you get from incorporating them into your diet? Let’s take a look at some of the proven health benefits of eggs, bringing some information to light.
Packed With Power
When we look at the nutrition of eggs, we want to look at what comes inside of one large egg that is uncooked. You probably won’t it them that way unless you are training for a big boxing match, but it’s the easiest way to identify the nutritional value of an egg. In that large egg, you are only getting around 75 calories, with more than a third of that coming from protein. All in all, there are more than six grams of protein in a large egg, making up nearly 15 percent of your daily recommendation.
There are also plenty of vitamins and minerals to be found in eggs, with riboflavin and vitamin B12 making up the most abundant vitamins. You can also find significant amounts of vitamin A, vitamin D, vitamin B6 and folate. As for the minerals, selenium and phosphorus take the cake for largest values. The other helpful minerals found in eggs include calcium, iron, magnesium, zinc, copper and more. When they say that eggs make for part of a balanced breakfast, they aren’t lying.
Trusting the Cholesterol
When it comes to the negatives of eating eggs, people tend to freak out when they hear the word cholesterol. If you grew up in the 1990’s, you probably remember the backlash against eggs as the news made it seem like you’d have a heart attack from eating one due to cholesterol. The truth is, eggs did not show an increase in dangerous cholesterol in many different studies.
It was actually quite the opposite, as eggs increased HDL levels, which is the good type of cholesterol that you want to be higher. Studies show that you can raise your HDL levels by 10 percent in just under two months. About one quarter of people found a slight raise in their overall cholesterol from eating levels, but not to dangerous levels. Most people found their bad cholesterol (LDL) levels unaffected.
Weight Loss
We mentioned boxing a bit earlier, and you might remember that infamous scene from “Rocky” where Sylvester Stallone consumes multiple raw eggs. It’s actually quite common for athletes to eat as many eggs as possible because of their nutritional value. Not only can they help you build muscle, but also allow you to lose weight. Depending on how you prepare eggs, you are likely to get a lot of protein without a lot of the calories.
Those who eat bagels or cereal for breakfast are much more likely to feel hungry throughout the day compared to those that eat eggs to start their day, and studies have backed that claim up. What’s fantastic is that eggs are actually lower in calories than a lot of the typical breakfast foods that you eat, so those that are trying to lose weight or train eat eggs on an almost daily basis.
Seeing the Benefits
As you’re cracking open an egg, there probably isn’t a moment when you think about how it can benefit your eyes. However, eggs are one of the best foods that you could possibly eat for your eye health. Vitamin D, among other great nutrients that are found in eggs, help to prevent many of the eye diseases that are more common with age that include cataracts.
Your body fights off these diseases with the help of antioxidants called lutein and zeaxanthin. You can raise your levels of these antioxidants by a massive margin simply by eating eggs each day for a month. Blindness is also frequently caused by a lack of vitamin A, which can be remedied with more eggs in your diet.
Feeling Strong Now
Of course, all of that protein that you’ll be getting from eggs is going to be good for your muscles, but that’s not the only part of your body you want to be strong. Bone health is also very important, and keeping strong and healthy bones will make the aging process much easier. Eggs have plenty of vitamin D and calcium, which is essential in keeping your bones healthy.
Eggs can help reduce your risk of osteoporosis and other bone diseases. Though eggs alone won’t completely prevent them, one egg contains nearly 10 percent of your recommended dosage of vitamin D. Add in a multivitamin each day, and you should be able to prevent any of the aches and pains that your bones and joints feel.
Beauty Product
Many of us are content with feeling good, but we also want to look good, too. Eggs have been found to be very beneficial in an appearance aspect, helping you to grow healthier and stronger hair and nails. Eggs are well rounded in their vitamins and minerals, and the amino acids combined help promote that strength.
Studies have shown that hair grows faster and nails grow thicker when adding eggs to your diet. Eggs can even be used in a bevy of beauty products that slow down signs of aging. Mixing eggs with other products for facial masks can help you exfoliate your skin and give it a healthier glow. Though it’s not as common as some of the other foods that we have looked at, eggs are still being used around the world in certain beauty products.
Summing it Up
Eggs are easy to find at the grocery store, and most of them are very cheap. The best idea is to pony up the little bit of extra money to get the eggs that have more omega-3 fatty acids, and it still won’t be expensive. Many people eat multiple eggs per day and have shown no negative effects to their health, but is there a limit?
There can be quite a bit of sodium found in eggs, so you want to make sure you aren’t overdoing it, and reading the labels to see the exact content. Fat and cholesterol has been a worry about eggs, but they have actually been found to be benefits. The biggest thing that you have to worry about is finding the right egg, as some of them can go bad without people knowing it. Always check your eggs, and you’ll be fine.
Eating a couple of scrambled eggs per day is going to bring you a lot of benefits, as you can make it a regular breakfast. At around 150 calories for that breakfast, you’re getting a lot while not paying much in the calorie department. All the negative hype about eggs in the 1990’s turned out to be wrong, after all.