The Rise and fall of the Egg

 

Too much has been made out of the sunny side up, rather the sun had almost set for egg lovers. Eggs had become taboos for the health conscious. It may be worthwhile re-examining merits and demerits of egg consumption from a nutritional standpoint.

 

GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT:

 

·        Egg Protein: Eggs provide high quality protein with all essential amino acids in optimum proportions. One large egg contains 6 grams of protein. The protein in an egg contains all the essential amino acids used for growth and development. It is readily absorbed and digested. Owing to its excellent quality it is used as a reference standard to gauge the quality of other proteins.

 

Storehouse of protective nutrients: An egg provides 13 essential nutrients, all in the yolk, some of which include:

 

GOOD VISION:

 

·        Vitamin A: Egg provides a good amount of vitamin A.  Vitamin A present in eggs helps us maintain good vision. Lutein and zeaxanthin are the two carotenoids (pigments in plant and animal foods) present in the egg yolk that protect against degeneration of the retina of eye. The carotenoids present in eggs are better absorbed than those from plant sources, such as carrots and spinach. Emerging studies suggest a potential contribution of lutein and zeaxanthin in the prevention of heart disease and stroke.

 

GOOD SKIN, HAIR AND NAILS:

·        B Vitamins: Egg is also a good source of some of the B-complex vitamins like Vitamin B2, B12, Folic Acid and provides vitamin B1 and B6 in small amounts, all of which are important for a healthy skin. Other nutrients, which nourish the skin, include vitamin E and zinc. Biotin is particularly important as it helps maintain nail integrity.

 

 

 

 

 

BONE HEALTH:

 

·        Vitamin D: Egg yolk contains significant amounts of vitamin D which promotes bone health. Egg is one of the very few foods that is a good source of natural vitamin D.

 

·        Phosphorus: Eggs also provide small amounts of phosphorus, which is beneficial in skeletal development.

 

IMMUNE FUNCTION:

 

·       Zinc: Small quantities of zinc present in eggs is useful for boosting the immune status. Other health functions of zinc include regulating cell growth, help in healing wounds, promoting a healthy immune system. It also helps our body use carbohydrates, proteins and fats and enhances our senses of taste and smell.

 

HEART HEALTH:

 

·        Eggs are low in saturated fat: An egg contains nearly 5 gms of fat, of which less than 2 gms is saturated fat. Since eggs contain less saturated fats there is no significant impact on blood cholesterol levels. Recently, it was reported by the University of Surrey that people who consume one or more eggs a day are at no more risk of having heart diseases than non egg eaters. Britain’s Foods Standards Agency says there is no limit to eating eggs if they are part of a balanced diet.

 

·        Cholesterol Content: An egg nearly contains 215 mg cholesterol, surely a single yolk can make up for the entire day’s limit of 300 mg cholesterol daily! However, studies have found no significant correlation between eggs and heart diseases. As a part of a healthy diet, egg cholesterol seems to have little impact on blood cholesterol levels. Several studies have shown that regular egg consumption induces little or modest changes in blood cholesterol both in people with normal cholesterol levels or high cholesterol.

 

 

 

 

People with high blood cholesterol/ heart disease should limit their egg intake to 3-4 eggs/wk as a part of a healthy diet. For the normal population an egg a day is safe.

 

·        Other heart protective nutrients include Vitamin B6, B12, Folic acid, vitamin E, selenium, zinc, lecithin and choline.

 

Eggs contain lecithin, a substance that protects people against heart diseases by lowering blood cholesterol levels. Choline helps in fat mobilization in the body. Choline has also been found to be useful in improving brain function and treating fatty liver. 

 

 WEIGHT MANAGEMENT:

 

·        Low in calories. One egg provides only 75 Kcal and is packed with nutrients, which makes it a nutrient dense food- very valuable for weight watchers.

 

DISEASE PROTECTION:

 

·        Rich in antioxidants: Eggs are a good source of many antioxidants (disease fighting nutrients) like vitamin A, carotenoids- Lutein and zeaxanthin, vitamin E, selenium and zinc.

 

All in all, egg as a food should not be evaluated solely on the basis of its cholesterol content. It is an ideal food for nutritionally deprived, growing children, pregnant women, elderly and weight watchers. It is also a useful source of protein and nutrients for the general and in moderation causes no health risk except for those who may be allergic to it.