Health Benefits of Eggs

Eggs are among the best dietary sources of choline, a nutrient that is incredibly important but most people aren’t getting enough of. Eggs are among the best dietary sources of choline, a nutrient that is incredibly important but most people aren’t getting enough of. Eggs are loaded with nutrients, some of which are rare in the modern diet. They are among the few foods that I would classify as “superfoods.” Only 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. Whole eggs are among the most nutritious foods on the planet, containing a little bit of almost every nutrient we need. Omega-3 enriched and/or pastured eggs are even healthier.

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.

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.

Egg consumption consistently leads to elevated levels of HDL (the “good”) cholesterol, which is linked to a reduced risk of many diseases. In one study, 2 eggs per day for 6 weeks increased HDL levels by 10%.

Eggs are among the best dietary sources of choline, a nutrient that is incredibly important but most people aren’t getting enough of. Whole eggs are an excellent source of choline. A single egg contains more than 100 mg of this very important nutrient.

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. Egg yolks actually contain large amounts of both Lutein and Zeaxanthin. 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.

Omega-3 fatty acids are known to reduce blood levels of triglycerides, a well known risk factor for heart disease. 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.

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

On a low-carb diet, which is by far the best diet for diabetics, eating eggs leads to improvements in risk factors for heart disease. Many studies have looked at egg consumption and the risk of heart disease and found no association. However, some studies have found an increased risk in people with type 2 diabetes.

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. Study, replacing a bagel breakfast with an egg breakfast caused significant weight loss over a period of 8 weeks.

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. I personally eat about 3-6 whole eggs per day and my health has never been better.