“Sunday Ho Ya Monday, Roz Khao Ande” goes the TV commercial which is so apt as eggs have found their way almost to the top of the “superfoods” list. Moreover, eggs contribute a lot to our overall health. Right from kids to pregnant women and elderly, everyone can eat an egg a day due to their numerous health benefits. These are recognized as a natural source of high-quality protein and 13 essential vitamins and minerals. This could be the reason why eggs are amongst the most preferred options for the complete nutritious breakfast. But if you are the one who feels that eating eggs every day is not healthy or if you feel that eggs are not good for the heart, then you need to read this article for sure. Also, do not forget to share the article with everyone who believes eggs are not good for health.
Nutritional Profile Of Eggs
The first and the foremost thing one has to look into to ensure how healthy a food or product is; is to scan through its nutritional profile. Just remember a simple logic, the more nutrients a food has, the more healthy it is. And when it comes to eggs, nutritionally, these are loaded with the best of the best. It is not just the white part (which is known to be a great protein source) but also the yellow part (egg yolk) is known to be loaded with nutrients.
The yolk contains about 40% of the protein while the white contains 60%. So eating one whole egg can act as a great protein source. This is the reason why eggs are considered as a powerful natural source of proteins.
The yolk a rich source of cholesterol and fat is often discarded by people, but little did we know that it also contains fat-soluble vitamins such as Vitamin D, A and E, choline and antioxidants like lutein and zeaxanthin, which help to absorb the best of the nutrients present in the egg. In fact, the presence of antioxidants and other essential nutrients in egg makes it a heart-healthy food.
Most importantly, an egg has close to 70 calories, which makes it a healthy food low in calories. If you are a weight watcher, including egg in your diet won’t do any harm to your diet plan.
Eggs are loaded with protein and healthy fats. Yes, a medium-sized boiled egg contains around 6 grams of protein and 5 grams of healthy fat. This is why eggs are considered as healthy food.
It also houses vitamins such as Vitamin A, B5, B12, B2, D, E, K, B6 and minerals such as folate, phosphorous, selenium, calcium and zinc.
Health Benefits Of Eggs
It is due to the misconception that egg yolk is loaded with unhealthy fats, that most people do not include eggs in the diet. However, including one boiled egg in a diet can do more good than harm. Here are a few health benefits of eggs that you must be aware of before you wish to NOT include eggs in the diet. An egg can —
1. Reduce Risk of Heart Diseases
Eggs help raise your HDL or good cholesterol levels. Surprisingly, it also changes the type of LDL (bad cholesterol) particulates from large to small, therefore lowering the risk of heart disease[1].
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2. Help in Weight Loss
-The protein in an egg serves as a good source of high-quality protein. It not only fills you up but also prevents you from unhealthy cravings, thereby helping you to keep a close tab on your weight loss. Eggs are nutrient-dense and relatively low in calories and carbohydrates and hence are considered as a good choice for people planning to lose weight.
3. Improve Eyesight
-Rich source of antioxidants such as lutein and zeaxanthin, which help build up the retina in the eye, eggs actually help reduce the risks of cataract degeneration in the eyes.
4. Improves Brain Health
-Rich source of choline, these eggs play a part in producing signals to the brain and therefore validate the fact that eggs make people smarter.
5. Increase Iron Levels
Eating eggs are a natural way to increase your iron levels. According to the US FDA, 100 gms of a boiled egg provides 1.2 mg of iron, which is equal to 6% of your recommended dose of iron per day. Moreover, iron in the egg yolk is very easily absorbed by the body, more so than iron contained in most supplements.
6. Aid In Bone Development
-One of the few natural sources of Vitamin D, it is one of the easiest ways to maintain and enhance your bone development since vitamin D helps with calcium absorption.
7. Promote Hair Health
-Due to high sulphur containing amino acids in eggs and the presence of many vitamins and minerals, have been found to add luster to the hair and also helps in making the nails less brittle.
8. Support A Healthy Pregnancy
-Rich in folate and several vitamins and minerals, the eggs are amongst the recommended foods during pregnancy.
-They also promote brain health and are usually recommended to pregnant women as the nutrients in the egg help with fetal brain development.
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There are so many ways to eat eggs, the list is really endless, but the most important thing to remember is that eggs are versatile in nature, they can be eaten at any time of day. You can have them for breakfast, in salads, for dinner, and as a snack as well. But remember to include boiled eggs in the diet as compared to fried eggs or in the form of omelette as the latter can increase the calorific value of the food. Also, eggs if not properly cooked can increase the risk of food poisoning, so it is important to keep a close eye while cooking. Another important point to remember is that eggs should not be stored in a refrigerator for a long period because just like any other food, even eggs have a shelf life and expiry date post which it is unfit for consumption.
So, go ahead and include them into your daily diet and reap the countless benefits of eggs that they have to offer. Eat Healthy, Stay Happy!
(The article is reviewed by Dr. Lalit Kanodia, General Physician)
Recommended Reads:
Are Eggs Good For Heart Health?
Brown Eggs Vs White Eggs: What Is Better For You?
References:
Blesso CN, Fernandez ML. Dietary Cholesterol, Serum Lipids, and Heart Disease: Are Eggs Working for or Against You? Nutrients. 2018 Mar 29;10(4).