Not so long ago, nutritionists and those of the medical community declared the egg a terribly unhealthy food that could cause or contribute to a host of illnesses and health problems. Eggs could raise bad cholesterol levels, contribute to heart disease and cause weight gain they said. So many people all over the world gave up eating eggs or contented themselves with the egg whites while eschewing the yolk. And yet traditionally we have known eggs to be nutritious, tasty and an extremely versatile food. So who is right?
Are eggs bad for us?
Canadian researchers conducted a study a few years back and claimed that eggs are terrible for health. They said that regular consumption of egg yolks was two thirds as bad as smoking because both are risk factors for carotid plaque in the arteries. For years dieticians, fitness trainers and nutritionists told people to cut out the yolks and limit their morning protein fix to egg whites if they had any hopes of losing weight.
The humble egg was demonized by the health food industry also because they were probably trying to sell us something else at the cost of eggs: perhaps a protein substitute or some nutritional supplement or tonic. So if you smelled a conspiracy theory of sorts, you would not be far wrong.
Eggs are great for us
They’ve been very wrong about eggs as it turns out. Eggs are a near perfect food. They contain not only good quality protein and heart healthy fats they also contain several other minerals and vitamins. Eggs actually contain minerals that are good for the heart and well being they contain Vitamins A, D, E, B6, B12, riboflavin, folate, and choline as well as healthy fats. Eggs are particularly important for growing kids because their consumption is thought to trigger the release of growth hormones.
Over the years experts have found that egg consumption causes little or no change in levels of blood cholesterol. No real correlation has been found between eating eggs and heart disease.
So should you switch to an eggs only diet? Well not quite, because as with all things in life, moderation is the key to good health. Eggs as part of a balanced and varied diet are recommended for most people. What is important is to be careful about how the eggs are cooked and served. Poached or boiled eggs are great; eggs fried in unhealthy oils are not. Also items that eggs are usually served with: processed meats that could actually be bad for you and not the eggs itself.
The bottom line is that eggs can be a part of any healthy diet so long as they are cooked using a health medium and eaten in moderation. So they weren’t wrong when they said Sunday ho ya Monday, roz khao ande!
