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Are eggs good for you? 30 Reasons to Eat Eggs
Eggs have gotten a bad rap in the past and unfortunately, many today still believe the wide spread misinformation.
Are eggs good for you? Do they cause heart disease? Do they raise cholesterol? Should I avoid them?
Depending on who you ask, you may get very different answers to these questions. Many traditional doctors still would answer that eggs increase cholesterol and should be avoided. Some are adamant that only the egg white should be used because of the cholesterol in the yolk. Even when trying to research this topic, some articles still push the idea that eggs are harmful and in order to prevent health problems, one should avoid them.
I have to admit that I once believed the propaganda spread in the media and by drug pushing corporations. It wasn’t until I first began seeing a naturopath that I heard that eggs are good for you and the doctors are the ones who have it wrong. Sure, the first time my naturopath said that, I thought he must be crazy, how could doctors be wrong? Sadly, they are and not just about eggs.
Eggs are actually a super-food, they are packed with nutrients vitamins and health benefits!
But don’t eggs raise your cholesterol?
One of the main reasons eggs are avoided is due to fear of them increasing cholesterol. However, several studies have shown that not only do eggs not raise LDL cholesterol, but lower it. According to a recent study, those consuming 3 eggs per day over 12 weeks were found to have lower LDL cholesterol and raised HDL. Another study showed that those who consumed 4 or more eggs per week had lower cholesterol than those who only ate one egg per week.
Eggs are good for you! Here’s why:
1. Eggs are Full of Vitamins and Minerals– Including vitamins B, C, D, E, K, and more.
2. Lower High Blood Pressure– The peptides present in eggs were shown to help reduce high blood pressure.
3. Great Source of Protein– Eggs are a great source of protein, one egg contains 6 grams of protein.
4. Omega 3’s– Eggs contain a high level of essential omega-3 fatty acids, an essential nutrient and good for your heart.
5. Nine Essential Amino Acids– Eggs are known as the perfect food as they contain all 9 of the essential amino acids.
6. Can Lower Your Cholesterol– Eggs do contain cholesterol, however as mentioned above, studies have shown that those who consume eggs regularly had a reduced LDL and an increase in HDL (the good cholesterol).
7. Boost Brain and Nerve Health-One egg contains 20% of the daily recommended intake of choline. Approximately 90% of Americans are choline deficient. Choline is essential for phospholipids used in all cell membranes. Adequate levels of choline are essential for brain and nerve health.
8. Contain Lutein and Zeaxanthin– These carotenoids are an essential component for eye health and defend against the damaging effects of free radicals.
9. Contain Tryptophan and Tyrosine– Two amino acids which have great antioxidant properties. Tryptophan is also important as it is converted to serotonin, a mood enhancer and converted into melatonin in the pineal gland, which benefits sleep.
10. Reduced Risk of Macular Degeneration– Eggs protect your eyes from developing age-related macular degeneration due to the lutein and zeaxanthin present.
11. Good Source of Vitamin B12– Vitamin B12 is an important vitamin for the process of converting homocysteine into safe molecules, such as glutathione, an important antioxidant.
12. Eggs Contain Calcium– One egg contains 50mg (5%) calcium. Although not a large source of calcium, an increased intake can reduce the risk of colon polyups and breast cancer.
13. Eggs Do NOT Cause Heart Disease– The choline in eggs is a crucial nutrient to help reduce the inflammation that leads to heart disease.
14. Reduce Birth Defects– Eggs contain folate, a nutrient which studies have shown to help prevent birth defects when consumed prenatally, one egg contains 44μg (11%) of folate.
15. Good Source of Vitamin A– One egg contains 19% of the RDA for vitamin A, which plays an important role in improving the immune system.
16. Promote Healthy Hair and Nails– The sulfur contained in eggs and the additional vitamins and minerals help promote hair and nail growth.
17. Reduce Oxidative Stress– Selenium, an essential macronutrient contained in eggs helps reduce oxidative stress.
18. Reduce Risk of Tumors– Eggs are an excellent source of selenium which has been associated with preventing cancer and in particular reducing tumors affecting the prostate.
19. Eggs Protect Your Eyesight– Not only do they prevent macular degeneration, but the antioxidants in eggs also have been reported to protect eyes from damage related to UV exposure.
20. Reduces Risk of Cataracts– The antioxidants have also been linked to reducing the risk of developing cataracts in old age.
21. Improve Immune System Functioning– The iron contained in eggs helps support a healthy immune system and normal red blood cell production.
22. Lose Weight– In a study from Louisiana State University, participants who ate eggs for breakfast instead of bagels, lost more weight and reported having more energy.
23. Reduce Risk of Breast Cancer– A recent study found that women who consumed high amounts of choline, an abundant nutrient in eggs, were 24% less likely to get breast cancer.
24. Source of Vitamin D– The majority of the population is deficient in vitamin D which is essential for boosting the immune system and preventing cancer. One egg contains 41 IU of the 600 IU recommend daily amount of vitamin D.
25. Reduces Inflammation– The choline in eggs aids in reducing inflammation in the body. Chronic inflammation has been linked to increasing the risk of osteoporosis, Alzheimer’s, cognitive decline, and type 2 diabetes.
26. Beneficial for Fetal Development– The choline present in eggs is essential for pregnant women as it is crucial for proper fetal brain development and preventing neural tube defects.
27. Reduce Risk of Heart Attack and Stroke– Several studies have shown that the nutrients in eggs help prevent blood clots which reduces the risk of a heart attack or stroke.
28. Improved Memory Function– The high amount of vitamins and nutrients in eggs, in particular choline, improves memory function and cognition.
29. Eggs Can Be Inexpensive– Many are able to get eggs for a great price when bought from local farmers. Another option is to raise your own chickens! Not only does this help save money and provide you with more nutritional value, but you could sell eggs to those in the area to cover the cost of caring for them.
30. Egg Variety– There are many ways to prepare eggs, whether you eat them raw, scramble them up in coconut oil, or boil them. You can also add great variety by adding in nutritious vegetables and herbs, such as to an omelet.
Do you eat eggs? How often do you eat them?
Additional Sources:
http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=92http://www.marksdailyapple.com/drinking-raw-eggs/#axzz2TBaYURHE
http://www.naturalnews.com/020564_eggs_lutein.html
http://healthyeating.sfgate.com/reasons-eat-eggs-2876.html
Hi Lori,
I have type 1 diabetes for nearly 50 years without any complications. According to my recent blood work
result, my cholesterol level is 234, and my LDL level is 160 (both are high and bad).. I know eggs have very high cholester-ol level. I have not eaten eggs for one year.. I even watch out for nutrition info when it comes to cholesterol/sodium. I do not understand why eggs are excellent for people. Should I go ahead to eat eggs?
Thank you very much for your help.
Best regards,
Michael
hi,good evening i always eat 2 eggs after my whole day hard work as an electrician at 7 or 8 evening i am scanning my notes for my preparation for an exam ,,is this eating egg can harm my health because of some claimings ?? i did ate because i guess it help me this a lot for my energy back and focus on my mind.. am i in a right way for doing this or nothing … please anybody can responce me by this matter.. thank you and godbless guys
hy amazing all these in one thing for this reason egg is very important to eat!!!!!!! thank you so much
Hi,am very skinny and want to build body.what should i eat and drink?
We are vegetarians and not eat any kinds of meat and eggs. Please tell me how to start eating eggs.
Finding more information about egg, I get this article that is very informative. I love eating egg but my son does not want to eat. While I try to make him eat egg, he goes to vomit. It started from his early age. Now he is 6 years old.
I tried sometimes to make him eat egg mixing with curry so that he might not know. But he had a good sense of egg. As a result I failed. Is there any way to make him love eating egg?
I eat 12-15 boiled egg-whites on a daily basis…. Is tht good for me or bad?
Only the egg whites and not the yolk?
I wonder if the reason eggs were connected with cholesterol problems has more to do with their being 1. Often cooked in sunflower oil 2. Eaten by people who don’t consider health much (people avoiding animal fats tend to be very health conscious and load up on leafy stuff) 3. The type of eggs being eaten. I am a bit of a believer in the energetic value of things so I feel that a sad chicken will lay sad eggs and after all that stressful energy flying around those eggs might not do anyone any good. If they come from happy, vibrant chickens and most importantly locally, they have very good energy and will do you good! I am about 90% vegan and always vegetarian but I would always choose a real good egg over a wilted gmo salad. And I would always choose a really good salad over a not so good egg. The key is in choosing what suits your body personally and choosing the energetic stuff. Thanks for this great article! 🙂
Great point! It’s important to know what type of oil the eggs are cooked in.
reading this post gives me relive on egg issue.kudos to u lori
Thanks for sharing:)
My container of egg say only 6% of vitamin A, not 19% which you stated
They are from trader joes organic brown eggs with omega 3.
Do different brands have different vitamin A values
Interesting, it’s possible. I’d check a label now but I’ve been buying eggs from my local farmer. The next time I’m in a food store I’m going to compare them.
Thank you for your great article. This article has shown one of my family members that eggs are good for you and which is opposite from the traditional doctors opinion.
Thank you. From now on we are eating eggs every single day.
I have them every day for breakfast too!
Hello .. new to your site.. I found this site in my search for more info on eggs. I love eggs. Let me tell you my love egg story. It started out naive like any other low knowledge egg consumer. I’d hard fry eggs for breakfast one or two and was on my way and never gave them any more thought. I never liked how people kill whatever they are frying .. they fry it so much that it’s dry and crispy and completely dead! .. Anyway, now I highly respect eggs, particularly organic farm raised, and give them their due respect.
the egg yolk in my opinion is in the list of worlds superfoods, along with avocado, grapefruit; etc.
I started trying to eat a raw egg which nearly caused me to throw up, I tried a raw egg (whole egg) in a smoothie and it was ok. I sometimes put a raw egg or two in a smoothie, but I love the yolk the most. It began where I was somehow subconsciously choosing to eat only the yolk no matter if the egg was fried or boiled. I would simply just take one or two bites of the egg white but really only wanted the yolk. I almost started to not like the egg white or at least not past the point of a bite or two. Then I began referring to the yolk as “the good stuff” ha.
So, now just as I have weaned, whether conscious or subconscious, myself of sugar, I have no taste or very little desire for donuts, cakes, cookies; etc. the same has happened with egg whites/egg yolks. I still like eggs in every form, but I tend to only want the yolk.
I often make smoothies my own creation I suppose of vanilla yogurt, rice, hemp, or almond milk, four tablespoons of olive oil, tablespoon or two of avocado oil.. and/or maybe one other “guest oil” such as macademia, or ocassionally a small scoop of ice cream, 4-7 raw egg yolks, and scoop of whey protein powder and blend this all together; sometimes instead of the above milks, I’ll try to get a hold of raw goats milk. I like to take this down with sockeye salmon oil caps and a zinc capsule. I also take a lot of vit c with this too maybe or throughout the day. I have more nutrition in that creation, than most people get in a whole day or week, or maybe month.
I’m a slim trim 140. I feel fine. I look good. I also drink only half and half milk or raw cow or goats milk. I love goats cheese too.
Seems to me whatever the media tells you .. usually it’s just the opposite that is true.
Of course, I really try to get all of the above in the purest fresh state as possible.
Take some chlorophyll or sea vegetables too and good sources of fiber from time to time. usually beans.
Once or twice a month get a hold of some grass fed beef. & Try to get some organ meats sometimes.
I have a really high metabolism so this high b vitamin and high fat diet works for me. Gives me energy and helps me to build muscle when I work out. I’ve always been a really hard gainer. and even if I slack off eating like this, I’ll notice I drop in weight.. not much but it’s noticeable to me.
I think one who wants to live past age of 80 or 90 needs to find ways to preserve eye site, as I have seen people who live to that age, but their eyes begin to deteriorate and rot back into their eye sockets. Often they are in good healthy overall, but can’t hear or see!! Awful to make it that far and still can walk or ride a bike, but can’t see or hear! I’ve also read up on people who live to or past 100 and read they often eat raw foods, fermented yogurts, kefir, and a little lamb meat, — I think the people who live in the mountainous regions.. and also some drank little red wine, dark chocolate, teas; good healthy spices; generally a low stress lifestyle I think. Also, getting fresh air and sun and maybe a little wild game eating wouldn’t kill me either. We are like living in an open air prison with always being indoors or seated so much of the day, seated at work, seated in the car, seated at the dinner table, seated in front of the tv.. or computer.. and then off to bed seated..for 4-8 hours! I’ve heard it said too you are only as healthy as your spine and as healthy as your gut (the “second heart). I would add your blood too, for that is where the life is. What’s great about my focus on high quality fats and good water; etc.. is that remember the brain is fat and water, so anything to maintain or improve brain functioning may ward off dementia.. the next big epidemic..
Keep up the good work!
I subscribed.
Thanks Paul! Exactly!, sually the media tells you the opposite of what you should do! 🙂
As all of my teeth except one gradually absented my mouth several month ago, eggs are now my only REGULAR traditional food (and that’s to provide protein in my diet). I eat 8 every night fried in a thin coating of coconut oil, and seasoned with sea salt and powdered cayenne pepper.
I procure the rest of my nutritional needs from nutritional supplements and moderate amount of fresh fruit. My doctor compliments me on ‘taking such good care of yourself’ (as evidenced by the bloodwork portion of my annual physical).
That’s fantastic! I’ll have to try adding cayenne pepper one morning.
yayyyyyyy for eggs!!!!!!! I’ve read your blog about eggs and has found it very interesting , thanks Lori.
Glad it was helpful.
Here is a tip as how to peel fresh eggs. As you may or may not know, supermarket eggs are usually many weeks old. They are still good to eat and they peel far more easily than fresh eggs. This is due to a thin membrane that exists between the shell and the egg that shrinks over time. If you have farm fresh eggs you will soon learn that they are almost impossible to peel after they are boiled. Here is a great way to change that.
First prick the fat end of each egg with a plastic push pin. These are the same pins that are commonly used on notice boards (steal one).
Place your pricked eggs into a pan of water and heat it until the water just simmers. Do not allow the water to reach a rolling boil. Once you see bubbles rising from the bottom of the pan adjust the heat to maintain the same.
Now simply simmer your eggs for about 15 to 20 minutes. The timing is not at all critical. Remove the eggs and drop them into a sink full of cold water to cool for about 30 minutes. Your eggs will now peel quite easily.
I found this method on the internet a while ago and I can tell you that it works great.
Great tip, thanks for sharing!
Now I’m confused. Are eggs good or not?
http://youtu.be/RtGf2FuzKo4
Daniel, Eggs are awesome! Eggs are the perfect protein. Eggs are so smart and intelligent and complete, that everything needed to grow the brain, heart, lungs, arteries, feet, etc are there to grow a chick. Your brain is made of cholesterol, it must be replenished. More info on my site http://paleofriend.com/index.php/resources/audiovideo
Eggs are very healthy; many studies have found that eggs contain beneficial nutrients and properties. Unfortunately, many aren’t aware of the evidenced-based research.
I never fell for the egg myth. High cholesterol runs in my family, and i take zyprexa, which is a medication that increases cholesterol. I eat two eggs every morning. Had my cholesterol checked. Normal, go figure. Good article.
Thanks Chris!
I love eggs. I eat several a week and like them best over easy. I changed last year to buying locally produced eggs from a friend when I can and Egglands Best when I can’t. I also switched to eating only locally raised, organic grass fed beef when I eat beef. No other changes and just got my cholesterol checked and was happy to see it went down 35 points!
That’s great!