Eggs have been the target of countless nutritional studies for the past decade. The good and bad press has confused the average consumer, and this research is intermixed with personal opinions regarding their overall healthiness. It’s hard to ignore the convenience and delicious varieties that eggs provide, as they are such a common staple in American breakfast. It’s time to get a clear look at exactly what the research has shown.
Boiling Down the Benefits
Eggs are a great source of protein. They can quell hunger for hours at a time, having been shown to effectively lead people to eat less for up to 12 hours. Since traditional breakfasts are often composed of carbohydrates like toast and cereal, protein is especially important in slowing down digestion and avoiding blood sugar spikes.
Eggs also provide a good amount of other nutrients such as iron, selenium and vitamin B12. Additionally, their high cysteine content makes them one of the best hangover foods because they break down the hangover-causing compound acetyladehyde. Perhaps this is what landed eggs the popular breakfast choice award to begin with!
Are Eggs All They’re Cracked Up to Be?
The most obvious bad press comes from the fact that eggs are higher in cholesterol than just about any other food. Eating a mere 2 eggs causes a person to exceed the daily recommended amount of cholesterol by almost 50%. However, there’s been much debate on whether cholesterol levels in the body are actually affected by cholesterol amounts in food. Most studies have shown that dietary levels of saturated fat have a greater influence on cholesterol levels. Many recent studies have noted that cholesterol intake from egg yolks is insignificant.
Beyond just cholesterol, eggs have been studied scrupulously for other health deteriorating effects. One of the most shocking recent studies on eggs looked at the effect of eggs on plaque buildup in the arteries. A controversial 2012 headline likened the effects of eating of egg yolks to smoking cigarettes. This study and others like it have shown elevated blood cholesterol levels as well as disease progression in some individuals.
Some studies have also linked eggs (like everything else, it seems) to cancer causing chemicals created when they are cooked. The carcinogenic chemicals present in foods like cooked meat, poultry, cheese and eggs were shown to still be present when people abstained from all of these items except eggs.
How Should I Eat Eggs?
One area lacking research is that of eating egg whites. The habit of separating the yolk from eggs quickly boomed when eggs began to get a bad rap. Unfortunately, it’s unclear if eating just egg whites is much different than eating whole eggs, especially since research shows it’s not necessarily the cholesterol that people should be worried about.
Rocky made the raw-egg protein shake popular a few year back, but eating raw eggs is generally not a good idea. Besides risking salmonella, the amount of protein the body is able to absorb from a raw egg is actually less than that from a cooked egg. If you’re looking for convenience, opt for a scoop or two of protein powder instead of the raw egg.
Overall, since eggs come with a higher level of scrutiny, it’s especially important to eat them in a healthy manner. There are better options than the five-egg scrambled omelet version that’s usually topped with cheese and sour cream. Eggs are a great source of protein, but they fall a bit short when compared to other healthy, high protein foods such as nuts, seeds, whole grains and low fat dairy. These alternatives come in more varieties, are more convenient, have less saturated fat and are backed by more research clearly showing greater health benefits. Like most things, eggs should be consumed in moderation, as overconsumption may put you at risk for some of the negative health risks listed above.
Five Ways to Guarantee Daily Stress and Discomfort