Are whole eggs or egg whites better for you? Egg protein, good cholesterol, healthy fat. Are Whole Eggs or Egg Whites Better for You? Mike Geary, Certified Nutrition Specialist, Certified Personal Trainer. Author of best- sellers: The Fat Burning Kitchen& The Top 1. Foods that FIGHT Aging. After 21 years of raising emus Sugar Maple Emu Farm will no longer produce the emus that have been an integral part of their emu farm. Emu meat and oil products will. Summary of Important Health Benefits of Grassfed Meats, Eggs and Dairy. Lower in Fat and Calories. There are a number of nutritional differences. A recent MOTHER EARTH NEWS study found that compared to conventional American eggs, real free-range eggs have less cholesterol and saturated fat, plus more vitamins A. I was on a weekend trip with some friends recently and one of my friends was cooking breakfast for the whole group. I went over to see what he was cooking and saw he was getting ready to make a big batch of eggs. Well, to my shock and horror, I noticed that he was cracking the eggs open and screening the egg whites into a bowl and throwing out the egg yolks. I asked him why the heck he was throwing out the egg yolks, and he replied something like this.. In a world full of misinformation about nutrition, somehow most people now mistakenly think that the egg yolk is the worst part of the egg, when in fact, the YOLK IS THE HEALTHIEST PART OF THE EGG! The yolks contain so many B- vitamins, trace minerals, vitamin A, folate, choline, lutein, and other powerful nutrients.. In fact, the egg whites are almost devoid of nutrition compared to the yolks. Even the protein in egg whites isn't as powerful without the yolks to balance out the amino acid profile and make the protein more bio- available. Not to even mention that the egg yolks from free range chickens are loaded with healthy omega- 3 fatty acids. Yolks contain more than 9. B6, folate, and B1. ![]() In addition, the yolks contain ALL of the fat soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K in the egg, as well as ALL of the essential fatty acids (EFAs). And now the common objection I get all the time when I say that the yolks are the most nutritious part of the egg..! First of all, when you eat a food that contains a high amount of dietary cholesterol such as eggs, your body down- regulates it's internal production of cholesterol to balance things out. On the other hand, if you don't eat enough cholesterol, your body simply produces more since cholesterol has dozens of important vital functions in the body. And here's where it gets even more interesting.. There have been plenty of studies lately that indicate that eating whole eggs actually raises your good HDL cholesterol to a higher degree than LDL cholesterol, thereby improving your overall cholesterol ratio and blood chemistry. And 3rd.. If you're interested in this topic of cholesterol specifically, I have another article listed at the bottom of this page about why trying to attack cholesterol is a mistake, and what the REAL deadly risk factors actually are. In addition, the yolks contain the antioxidant lutein as well as other antioxidants which can help protect you from inflammation within your body (the REAL culprit in heart disease, not dietary cholesterol!), giving yet another reason why the yolks are actually GOOD for you, and not detrimental. To help bring even more proof that whole eggs are better for you than egg whites, I recently read a University of Connecticut study that showed that a group of men in the study that ate 3 eggs per day for 1. HDL good cholesterol by 2. LDL bad cholesterol stayed the same during the study. So I hope we've established that whole eggs are not some evil food that will wreck your body.. ![]() Eggs are not only nutritional powerhouses, they are also a budget-friendly, versatile and quick cooking item to have in your kitchen arsenal. Are Whole Eggs or Egg Whites Better for You? ![]() ![]() ![]() But what about the extra calories in the yolks? This is actually a non- issue and here's why.. How does the Steak and Eggs diet increase testosterone? Fat and cholesterol are the building blocks of testosterone and must be consumed in order to naturally. What size were the eggs in Ancient Rome? Our food history sources offer much information on the production, consumption and preparation of poultry eggs in the Ancient. The idea that eggs, as a source of saturated fats, are unhealthy and promote heart disease is a complete myth. While it's true that fats from animal. New Analysis Finds 14% Less Cholesterol in Eggs, 64% More Vitamin D. ![]() The eggs from the grocery store had pale yellow yolks and thin weak shells. On the other hand, the healthier free range eggs from the local farm had strong thick shells and deep orange colored yolks indicating much higher nutrition levels and carotenoids.. If you want real taste and real health benefits, we'd all be better off eating ALL of our eggs with the delicious nutrient- dense yolks. After all, do you REALLY think that our ancestors thousands of years ago threw out the yolks and only ate the egg whites? I personally eat 4 whole eggs almost every day with breakfast, and I maintain single- digit bodyfat most of the year. The Health Benefits of Organic Eggs. By Dr. Mercola. The idea that eggs, as a source of saturated fats, are unhealthy and promote heart disease is a complete myth. While it's true that fats from animal sources contain cholesterol, this is not necessarily something that will harm you. On the contrary, the evidence clearly shows that eggs are one of the most healthful foods you can eat, and can actually help prevent disease, including heart disease. For example, one 2. ACE inhibitors (common prescription medications for lowering blood pressure). This certainly flies in the face of 'conventional wisdom,' and the latest findings support the stance that eggs are in fact part of a heart- healthy diet. Although egg yolks are relatively high in cholesterol, numerous studies have confirmed that eggs have virtually nothing to do with raising your cholesterol. For instance, research published in the International Journal of Cardiology showed that, in healthy adults, eating eggs every day did not produce a negative effect on endothelial function (an aggregate measure of cardiac risk); nor did it increase cholesterol levels. A number of people have cholesterol levels that are too low. While eating egg yolks is a great idea for a number of reasons, it will not increase your cholesterol level. If you need to do that a fairly reliable method is to use coconut oil. Usually about 2- 4 tablespoons a day are required to increase your cholesterol. The Egg—A Source of Health Promoting Antioxidants! In the featured study, the researchers examined the nutrient content of egg yolks from hens fed primarily wheat or corn. They determined that the yolks from these conventional chickens contain two amino acids with potent antioxidant properties, which is important for the prevention of cardiovascular disease and cancer: Tryptophan Tyrosine Below, I will discuss the nutrient content of organic, pastured eggs, which is far superior to conventional eggs. What's really interesting is that conventional eggs, despite their inferior nutritional content still were found to be such a potent source of heart healthy antioxidants! The antioxidant properties were reduced by about 5. Although not specifically mentioned in the featured study, egg yolks are also a rich source of the antioxidants lutein and zeaxanthin, which belong to the class of carotenoids known as xanthophylls. These two are powerful prevention elements of age- related macular degeneration; the most common cause of blindness. Additionally, as a side note, the amino acid tryptophan is also an important precursor to the brain chemical serotonin, which helps regulate your mood, and tyrosine synthesizes two key neurotransmitters, dopamine and norepinephrine, which promote alertness and mental activity. I mention this to remind you that the potential health benefits of eggs certainly go far beyond heart health.. Not All Eggs are Created Equal. Eggs are also an incredible source of high- quality protein and fat—nutrients that many are deficient in. And I believe eggs are a nearly ideal fuel source for most of us. However, there are two caveats: Free- range or . In a 2. 00. 7 egg- testing project, Mother Earth News compared the official U. S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) nutrient data for commercial eggs with eggs from hens raised on pasture and found that the latter typically contains: 1/3 less cholesterol 1/4 less saturated fat. A 2 times more omega- 3 fatty acids 3 times more vitamin E 7 times more beta carotene The dramatically superior nutrient levels are most likely the result of the differences in diet between free ranging, pastured hens and commercially farmed hens. Should You Refrigerate Your Eggs? Before we get into the issue of eating raw versus cooked eggs, let's review the ideal storage method for your eggs. Contrary to popular belief, fresh pastured eggs that have an intact cuticle do not require refrigeration, as long as you are going to consume them within a relatively short period of time. This is well known in many other countries, including parts of Europe, and many organic farmers will not refrigerate their eggs. In the U. S., refrigeration of eggs became the cultural norm when mass production caused eggs to travel long distances and sit in storage for weeks to months before arriving at your local supermarket. Additionally, the general lack of cleanliness of factory farms increases the likelihood that your eggs have come into contact with pathogens, amplifying the need for both disinfection and refrigeration. So, if your eggs are fresh from the organic farm, with intact cuticles, and will be consumed within a few days, you can simply leave them on the counter or in a cool cupboard. The shelf life for an unrefrigerated egg is around 7 to 1. When refrigerated, they'll stay fresh for 3. Keep this in mind when purchasing eggs from your grocery store, as by the time they hit the shelf, they may already be three weeks old, or older.. USDA certified eggs will have a pack date and a sell- by date on the carton, so check the label. For more information about the date codes on your egg carton, see this link. How to Eat Your Eggs for Maximum Health Benefits. Quite a few people are allergic to eggs, but I believe this is because they are cooked. When you heat the egg, the protein changes its chemical shape, and this type of distortion can easily lead to allergies. When consumed in their raw state, the incidence of egg allergy virtually disappears. This distortion may be further magnified depending on the manner in which it's cooked. Microwaves heat food by causing water molecules in it to resonate at very high frequencies and eventually turn to steam, which heats your food. But it also changes your food's chemical structure in ways that regular cooking does not. It is my belief that eating eggs raw helps preserve many of the highly perishable nutrients, and the results in the featured study confirms this as raw egg yolk lost about half of its antioxidant potential when boiled, fried, or worse, microwaved. Remember that most of the nutrition in an egg is in the yolk, not the white which is merely protein and many have a texture problem when eating them raw. The yolk on the other hand is loaded with nutrients, like bioflavonoids, brain fats like phosphatidyl choline, powerful antioxidants and sulfur. Aside from microwaving, scrambling your eggs is one of the worst ways to cook them as it oxidizes the cholesterol in the egg yolk, which may in fact harm your health. What about the Risk of Salmonella? The CDC and other public health organizations advise you to thoroughly cook your eggs to lower your risk of salmonella, but as long as they're pastured and organic, eating your eggs raw is actually the best in terms of your health. The salmonella risk is primarily heightened when the hens are raised in unsanitary conditions, which is extremely rare for small organic farms where the chickens are raised in clean, spacious coops, have access to sunlight, and forage for their natural food. The salmonella risk can be high in conventional eggs, however, which is why I advise against eating conventional eggs raw. One study by the British government found that 2. How to Find Fresh Pastured Organic Eggs. The key to getting high quality eggs is to buy them locally, either from an organic farm or farmers market. Farmers markets are a great way to meet the people who produce your food. With face- to- face contact, you can get your questions answered and know exactly what you're buying. Better yet, visit the farm and ask for a tour. To locate a free- range pasture farm, try asking your local health food store, or check out the following web listings: If you absolutely must purchase your eggs from a commercial grocery store, look for ones that are marked free- range organic. They're still going to originate from a mass- production facility (so you'll want to be careful about eating them raw), but it's about as good as it gets if you can't find a local source. I would strongly encourage you to AVOID ALL omega- 3 eggs, as they are some of the least healthy for you. These eggs typically come from chickens that are fed poor- quality sources of omega- 3 fats that are already oxidized. Also, omega- 3 eggs perish much faster than non- omega- 3 eggs. For more tips on eggs, including how to identify fresh, high- quality eggs, please read Raw Eggs for Your Health.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. Archives
September 2017
Categories |