Eggs have always made an appearance in our diet for the longest time! Not just because it is tasty and has tons of different ways to cook them, eggs are also one of the most nutritious foods on the planet. As a matter of fact, eggs are so nutritious that they have been named with the tag “superfood”.
Here is what you need to know about this egg-ceptional super food:
1. Enhance cholesterol profile
A lot of people take a step back with eggs when they hear that eggs contain a lot of cholesterol and might lead to cardiovascular diseases.
That is not entirely true. The fact is eggs contain 212 mg of cholesterol, which is a lot compared to other food, however, cholesterol intake from dietary sources has a minimal effect on cholesterol levels in blood. On top of that, many studies even show that eggs can improve our cholesterol profile, by raising the HDL, the “good” cholesterol, and changing the LDL, the “bad” cholesterol.
2. Whole eggs are the most nutritious food ever
One whole egg contains a wide range of nutrients, like vitamins, minerals, proteins, and good fatty acids.
Here shows a more detailed nutrients profile of a whole egg:
1. Vitamin B12: 9% of the RDA
2. Vitamin B2: 15% of the RDA
3. Vitamin A: 6% of the RDA
4. Vitamin B5: 7% of the RDA
5. Selenium: 22% of the RDA
6. Eggs also contain a lot more other nutrients like iodine, Vitamin D, Vitamin E, iron, several other Vitamin B, like folate, biotin, and choline, and minerals, including phosphorus, potassium, and calcium.
However, beware that most nutrients exist in the egg yolk and the egg whites are mostly proteins, so remember to consume a whole egg if you want to get all these nutrients!
3. Eggs are good for the brain
Eggs contain a high level of choline, 113 mg per whole egg, which might be a nutrient you have never heard of. Essentially, choline is a nutrient that plays a strong role in brain functionality and development.
Studies have shown that a low intake of choline might lead to liver diseases, increasing risk of heart diseases, dementia, and even having an effect on pregnant women, like neural tube defects in infants which might cause cognitive dysfunction.
4. Eggs are filled with high-quality proteins
There are about 21 amino acids that our body uses to build protein, which is extremely important for our body structure and functions.
However, 9 amino acids can’t be produced by our body and can only be obtained from our diet.
Fortunately, eggs are one of those few foods that contains all these 9 amino acids and is a great source of high-quality protein. What’s more, the biological measure of protein quality is often evaluated by comparing it to eggs, which are given the perfect score of 100.
5. Eggs are good for the eyes
Egg yolks contain 2 antioxidants that can have protective effects on the eyes, these 2 antioxidants are lutein and zeaxanthin.
Lutein and zeaxanthin are able to accumulate in the retina of the eye and protect the eyes from direct sunlight. This can maintain good vision, and greatly reduce the risk of macular degeneration and cataracts, which id common reasons of blindness in elderly.
6. Eggs are great sources of Omega-3
This might be news to you, but not all eggs are the same due to different living environment of the hen and other factors.
One of the major nutrient variations among different eggs is omega-3.
Studies have shown that eggs from hens that are raised in pasture or fed on omega-3 diet are high in omega-3 profile.
Omega-3 fatty acid can reduce level of triglycerides in blood, which can reduce the risk of heart diseases.
