Eggs: The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly
Eggs are the most popular item around. But unfortunately, the truth for some of us is that they are inedible due to an intolerance or allergy that can cause adverse reactions such as digestive, respiratory, and neurological (depression and anxiety) issues. For a good reason, these days, there is a lot of focus on metabolic health, including weight, blood sugar, blood pressure, and lipid profiles. Maintaining and keeping these metabolic markers optimized is essential to reducing chronic degenerative conditions, coronary heart disease, type 2 diabetes, Alzheimer’s, and cancer. When consumed in moderation, pasture-raised organic whole eggs are a good source of high-quality, complete protein and have a lesser effect on insulin than just consuming egg whites. They have an excellent anabolic effect, which means that they help build more muscle protein in the body
Are Eggs Unhealthy?
Egg whites are a good source of nine essential amino acids, including the three branched-chain amino acids, leucine, isoleucine, and valine, required for protein synthesis and building new tissue to generate energy and recover from stress and injury. Tryptophan, another essential amino acid, helps regulate mood and relieves anxiety and depression symptoms. It also assists in appetite regulation and decreases high blood pressure risk development.
Egg yolk contains all the nutrients needed for building a whole new life. They are packed with cholesterol, but this will not clog the arteries. The liver makes large amounts of cholesterol as it is an essential nutrient to feed the brain, the nervous system, cell membranes, and production of
bile acids (help fat digestion), vitamin D, hormones (testosterone, estrogen, and cortisol). The liver is stimulated to produce cholesterol primarily by saturated fat in our diet, not dietary cholesterol. Hence, when we consume whole eggs that contain larger amounts of cholesterol foods, our liver makes less cholesterol as more of it comes from the diet, which means it is tightly regulated.
The egg yolks are nutrient-dense and contain fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, K2, and all B vitamins (specifically B12 and folate that prevents DNA damage), choline, phospholipids (support cell's membrane), minerals (phosphorus, calcium, and potassium), essential trace elements (iron, zinc, copper, selenium, manganese, and magnesium), phytonutrients (carotenoids), and immunoglobulins (IgY antibodies which help the gut immune system). For example, carotenoids like lutein and zeaxanthin are antioxidants that prevent eyes from macular degeneration, reduce inflammation, and lower cardiovascular risk by lowering blood pressure. Choline helps prevent a fatty liver and supports nervous system functions (age-related memory loss and cognitive impairment) and healthy fats (DHA and EPA for neuronal, retinal, and immune function). On the other side, the egg white has most of the protein, B2, B3, and more magnesium and potassium than the yolk.
Can You Eat Too Many Eggs?
It is a common belief that eating too many eggs is bad, which is not true, as there is no scientifically-defined limit on how many eggs one can healthily eat in one day. However, as part of a balanced diet and active lifestyle, it is recommended to consume them in moderation, as with every type of food. Yes, they do contain cholesterol, and if there is any consideration that eating eggs will increase cholesterol, realize that there is absolutely no data that confirms it raises bad cholesterol LDL. It will increase good cholesterol HDL, which reduces the heart disease risk. When prepared and eaten as a part of a balanced diet, in addition to maintaining an active lifestyle, eggs will not contribute to higher cholesterol levels. However, when eaten in the context of a sedentary lifestyle, a Western diet high in processed foods, or in conjunction with active smoking, eggs will likely have different health impacts.