There are so many different types of foods to choose from that the sheer volume of choices can be a bit overwhelming. It is always a good idea to begin narrowing down your food options by choosing foods that are nutritious. Eggs are a type of food that are known for being a healthy option and offer many nutrients that your body craves. All you have to do is think about all the nutrients that are required to transform an egg into a baby chicken. Eggs are known for being a great addition to any diet, but they also have a somewhat bad reputation. The high amounts of cholesterol found in eggs are something that concern many people. Before you decide if you should add or subtract eggs from your meal plans, you need to learn about all the pros and cons of eating eggs.
How Much Cholesterol
The main issue with eggs is the amount of cholesterol that they contain. E egg that is regular in size has about 186 mg of cholesterol within it. This is over 60% o the amount of cholesterol that you are supposed to consume in an entire egg. Some people are of the opinion that eating foods high in cholesterol will raise your cholesterol levels. High cholesterol is connected to heart disease, which is the number one killer for most adult Americans. However, it might not be true that simply eating foods with cholesterol will raise your cholesterol levels.
Your Body and Cholesterol
Studies show that if you eat foods with cholesterol that your body will make less cholesterol. Many people see all cholesterol as bad and view it as a negative part of your health. However, it is important to note that cholesterol actually has an important function within the body. Every cell membrane within the body contains some amount of cholesterol. You need cholesterol to survive, so cutting out all foods that contain cholesterol makes no sense. The liver produces cholesterol, so you do not necessarily have to get it from your diet. However, if you eat foods with cholesterol your liver should produce less.
Limiting Egg Consumption
One of the biggest issues with eating eggs is the number of eggs that you eat each day. For many years, people have been warned to limit the amount of eggs that they consume daily. The white part of eggs is full of mostly protein and it is the yolk that contains the cholesterol. This means that the amount of egg yolks that people are recommended to eat each day range from 2 to 6 per week. However, this is considered by many people to simply be a myth. There is no real evidence or scientific research that clearly shows egg consumption can raise your cholesterol levels.
In reality, the studies done on people that eat eggs each day show that good cholesterol levels actually go up. Good cholesterol is referred to as HDL and it has been found to increase in people that eat eggs regularly. Most research shows that each individual is different and that every body responds in a unique way to egg consumption. Many people do not have to deal with high cholesterol from simply adding eggs to their diet.
Eggs are a type of food that you can eat in many different ways and add to many different meals. From adding eggs to your salad for lunch to eating omelets for breakfast, there are not a lot of limits to the types of meals that you can prepare when using eggs. Before you become an egg fanatic, it might be a good idea to learn more about the pros and cons of eating eggs regularly. This will enable you to know what the real benefits are and what the potential risks to your health may be.
Pros of Eating Eggs
1. Nutritious
People ate always looking for foods that are highly nutritious and jam packed of nutrients that are ideal for the body. Not only are eggs known for being an excellent source of protein, but they also contain high amounts of omega 3 fatty acids. These omega 3 fatty acids can actually be good for the health of your heart. This allows the HDL or good cholesterol levels within the body to rise. Eggs are also a good source of calcium and can help increase the strength of your bones. This means that eating eggs can be good for your body in a variety of different ways.
2. Energy
It seems like everybody is trying to fin foods to add to their diet that will boost stamina levels and increase energy. Eggs are one food that can really help you get the energy that you need to power through. Eggs are full of amino acids that are essential for boosting stamina levels. This means that adding eggs to your diet can help you get the energy that you need for workouts or to simply start your day out right.
3. Hair and Eye Health
You might not realize it, but eggs can impact your body in many ways. The health of your eyes and hair can actually be enhanced greatly by eating eggs regularly. Eggs are known for being a great source of vitamin A and this is the vitamin that is linked to eye and hair health. If you want hair that grows quickly and strong, you should be eating eggs. You might also be able to improve your eyesight slightly by adding eggs to your diet.
4. Disease Prevention
There are some foods that can off immune system benefits, but none are quite as effective as eggs. Eggs are a type of food that you can eat to help ward off diseases. The nutrients in eggs like folic acid and vitamin B 12 are linked to immune system health. This means that eating eggs can help you keep illnesses at bay. Studies show that eating eggs every day can help to prevent breast cancer and also lower your risk of Alzheimer’s. The B12 found in eggs can increase memory function and help to keep dementia from presenting itself as you age.
5. Fetus Development
There are different types of foods that pregnant women are urged to eat. These foods often allow for the most nutritional benefits. Pregnant women are urged to eat eggs, because they contain folate. Folate is essential the development of the fetus and makes eggs a great food to eat when you are pregnant. Women that are looking for healthy foods to eat that will nourish their growing baby can benefit from adding eggs to their diet.
6. Weight Loss
Not only can eggs offer the nutrients that your body craves, but they can also help you control your weight. If you are eating white eggs only, you are only consuming about 20 calories. This means that you can eat egg whites and still be able to lose weight and get into great shape.
Cons of Eating Eggs
Eggs might offer a number of different benefits, but not everything regarding eggs is seen as a positive. There are actually some risks and downsides to eating eggs regularly.
1. Food Poisoning
There are some foods that you have to be more careful with than others when it comes to keeping food poisoning at bay. Eggs are a food that you have to cook with caution. If you do not cook or prepare eggs carefully, you may be putting yourself at risk of food poisoning. Eggs that are not fully cooked are at high risk of salmonella. This will result in vomiting and other stomach problems that are annoying and painful.
2. Sodium
Eggs might be known for offering many nutrients, but they are also high in sodium. A medium egg has more than 400 mg of sodium. This is an incredibly high amount of sodium. Most people are urged to watch the amount of sodium that they consume on a daily basis. A diet that is full of eggs is a diet will generally be too high in sodium. If you need to lower your sodium intake, eating eggs each day for breakfast is not recommended.
3. Cholesterol
Even though many are split on how much eating foods with cholesterol can be bad for your heart health, there is still some risk that you need to be aware of. Eggs might not be proven to raise your cholesterol at high rates, but you do need to use caution when eating foods that are high in cholesterol. Heart disease is a leading killer and if you do not want to be a victim, you need to change your diet to include foods with less cholesterol.
4. Restrictions
The biggest downside to eating eggs is that you need to be a bit restrictive. You should not be eating eggs each and every day. They might be an easy and great tasting food that you can eat, but it is not recommended that you eat more than 4 eggs per week. This means that you need to limit the amount of eggs that you include in your regular diet.
Eggs can be a great food that you can eat sparingly, but you need to be fully informed about all the benefits and downsides to egg consumption before you add this food to your diet. Eating just egg whites might be the best way to avoid eating to much cholesterol and putting yourself at risk of heart disease. Eating healthy can be done through the use of eggs, but you need to know what you are doing.