One
large egg contains 78 calories, 6.3g protein, 5.3g fat, 1.6g sat fat
and 212mg cholesterol.
White
vs Yolk
Both
the white and the yolk of an egg contain protein, vitamins and
minerals.
The
white is a rich source of selenium, vitamins D, B2, B6, B12 and
minerals such as zinc, iron and copper.
But
don't skip the yolk! It contains HDL cholesterol, fat-soluble
vitamins A, D, E and K, lutein, zeaxanthin and essential fatty acids,
as well as 50% of the egg's protein.
The
Cholesterol Issue
Eggs
do not raise your cholesterol! They actually contain HDL (good)
cholesterol, not LDL – the kind you should try to reduce. Studies
have shown that the cholesterol in eggs (and all dietary cholesterol
in general) doesn't have any affect on our bodily cholesterol. In the
same way that eating fat doesn't make you fat (read that post here),
eating cholesterol won't raise your own cholesterol.
Amazingly,
eggs can actually lower cholesterol thanks to a nutrient
called choline. Choline is an essential nutrient similar to the B
vitamins and is often lumped together with them. The human body can
only make a small amount of choline so we need to get the rest from
our diet. Eggs are a rich source of choline, and most of it is found
in the yolk. Choline is extremely important in the structure of cell
membranes. Pregnant and breastfeeding women in particular need to get
an adequate supply of choline because it's vital for brain
development in babies. If you're pregnant, make sure your eggs are
cooked thoroughly until both the whites and yolks are hard before
eating them, to reduce the risk of salmonella poisoning.
Buying,
Storing and Eating
It's
best to buy free-range eggs. The chickens have more room to move
around and are treated better than caged hens. As well as being
better for the animal, this results in a more nutrient-dense product.
You
can store eggs in the refrigerator for up to one month (but check
they don't go past their use-by date). A simple test to find out
whether your eggs are still fresh is to place them in a bowl of
water. A new, fresh egg will sink to the bottom, but an old, stale
one will float on top.
There
are so many ways to cook eggs and you can generally get them from
fridge to plate in less than five minutes. Whether you choose to
boil, scramble, poach, fry, make an omelette or use them in baking
recipes, you can't deny that eggs are one of the healthiest, most
versatile and convenient foods around today!
How do you eat your eggs?
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