Breaking Down the Egg

As someone who has borderline high cholesterol complements of my gene pool, eggs were a food I often shied away from.  Like you, I questioned if adding eggs to my diet was beneficial to the active, healthy lifestyle I was striving to achieve.  What about the cholesterol and fat? Just whites or should I use the yolks?

After weaving my way through medical research, raising eyebrows at misinformed, egg-guzzling bodybuilders and seeing the spin the egg-doting American Egg Board has put on their product, I’ve come to a conclusion: eggs are one of my favorite go-to foods.

Surprised? By adding up the numbers and listing the pros and cons, I’ve found that adding a healthy dose eggs  (mainly whites for me) was a quick and easy way for me to get a high-quality source of protein and a great source of vitamins and minerals all while keeping my cholesterol in check. 

Can eggs fit into YOUR daily diet?  Find out as we Break Down the Egg. 

The Break Down:*
Egg White:
57% protein, 3.6 gr
1% fat
11% vitamins and minerals
0 grams Dietary Cholesterol

Egg Yolk:
43% protein, 2.7 gr
99% of fat, 4.5 gr
89% of vitamins and minerals
213 grams Dietary Cholesterol

Eggs are a source of High-quality protein

• Protein increases your satiety and feeling of fullness after eating, which makes it an important macronutrient for those wanting to lose weight. Studies show eating protein in the morning leads to eating fewer calories throughout the day.
• Protein helps repair the slight muscle damage that occurs during exercise and helps build new muscle tissue
• Eggs are an inexpensive source of protein, about 3 cents per gram of protein compared to over 10 cents per gram of protein for many protein enriched bars and shakes. *Based on September 2008 Boston prices.

Eggs Yolks contain the richest source of Choline available in food, 125 mg per large egg

• Choline reduces risk factors associated with heart disease
• Choline is important for brain function and is a component of neurotransmitters that send messages between nerves and muscles.
• Choline is important in fetal brain development.
• Recommended daily intake of choline: 550 milligrams per day for men and 425 milligrams a day for women, more if you’re pregnant or breastfeeding. It’s estimated 90% of Americans do not get enough Choline in their diet.  Choline can also be found in soy beans, wheat germ, chicken, cod and salmon.

Cholesterol

• It IS true that the yolk contains 71% of your day’s recommended maximum dietary cholesterol intake of 300 grams, but it also contains 89% of the vitamins and minerals. If you limit the intake of other dietary cholesterol, saturated and trans fats in your diet throughout the day, you can enjoy your nutrient-rich egg yolks guilt-free.
• For those who have a higher cholesterol sensitivity, such as those with chronic conditions as heart disease or type 2 diabetes it’s recommended to limit your max dietary cholesterol to 200 grams per day.
• Find out the cholesterol content in other common foods at the USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference.

*Source: USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference
Note: There is a small varient in nutrition from free-range chickens, caged chickens and the type of diet the chickens are fed. Be aware of possible egg allergies. Avoid consuming raw eggs.