Superfood Friday: Eggs

Today’s superfood is nutrient dense, but a bit controversial as well — the egg!

Many people advocate eating eggs for their health benefits, but others avoid them completely or opt for egg whites because of worries about their saturated fat and cholesterol content.  Personally, I am a big fan of eggs.  My daughter and I share scrambled eggs with kale for breakfast many mornings.  I love how simple it is to cook eggs, and how easy it is to find them in restaurants and at the market. I also enjoy the versatility of eggs, as they can be prepared in numerous ways: scrambled, fried, hard boiled etc.  They are low-calorie, especially considering how nutrient-dense and filling they are.

From a nutritional standpoint, eggs are full of many minerals and nutrients, including choline, iron, calcium and potassium, along with vitamins A, B, D and E.  Eggs are considered a high quality protein, and they supply all of the essential amino acids.  Incorporating eggs is an easy way to add more protein into your diet.

Despite the health benefits of eggs, there are some concerns about this food.  Eggs do have a high saturated fat and cholesterol content.  The American Heart Association recommends that cholesterol intake be limited to 300 mgs a day.  A single egg contains about 2/3 of that.  However, research has shown that cholesterol in food may not have as much of an impact of blood cholesterol as initially thought.  Some studies have actually shown that egg consumption raises HDL cholesterol (the “good cholesterol”), which our bodies need.  Studies have also shown that moderate consumption of eggs does not increase the risk of heart disease for a healthy adult, despite the saturated fat content.  However, research has indicated that diabetics who eat eggs may increase their risk for certain diseases, and egg consumption recommendations are typically limited for this group.   Thus, research has shown that moderate egg intake does not appear to have a negative impact on health.

There are also concerns about the handling of eggs and the industry, because of factory farming and the poor living conditions of these animals.  Whenever possible, I suggest buying organic eggs.  Unfortunately, the term “organic” does not guarantee that the hens enjoyed much time outside, but it does mean that the hens had some access to outdoor space and that they were given organic feed.  The organic label also ensures that the hens were not given antibiotics (except for emergency health situations.)  Organic eggs are higher quality and come from animals that were provided improved living conditions.

In sum, I believe that eggs are a healthy addition to include in one’s diet, in moderation.  Experts tend to recommend one egg a day, and I agree that this is a reasonable portion.   So, enjoy that daily egg for breakfast, lunch or dinner!

Bonus tip: one of my favorite ways to add an egg to my diet is to make “fried rice” stir fry.  After stir frying my veggies and removing them from the pan, I toss in already cooked brown rice and an egg.   I mix the egg with the rice, making a healthy version of “fried rice.”  Once the egg is completely cooked and mixed in with the rice, top it with your already cooked veggies and serve!  Yum.