Eggs Nutrition Facts and Health Benefits

Overview

Eggs are packed with nutrients, meaning that they are among the foods you can rely on for proteins, minerals, and vitamins relative to the calories contained in them.

Whether you boil, poach, fry, scramble, or bake, eggs will remain handy and won’t spike your cholesterol as earlier feared.

A 2020 review by the Harvard University School of Public Health indicated that eating one egg daily resulted in a healthier diet in healthy men and women without preexisting conditions.

Current evidence shows that dietary cholesterol cannot automatically spike cholesterol levels in the blood. A review by a team of researchers at Northwestern University published in JAMA suggests that consuming more than 3 eggs per week may increase cardiovascular disease by 25%.

However, the majority of health experts still hold that dietary cholesterol has no long-term health risk like trans and saturated fats, known to have grave effects on blood cholesterol.

Various entities including Dietary Guidelines for Americans, the American Heart Association, the American College of Cardiology, and the American Diabetes Association have distanced themselves from previous recommendations of limiting dietary cholesterol because manageable amounts take place naturally in a balanced diet.

This article looks into nutrition facts and health benefits of eating eggs, healthy ways of preparing them, how often we should eat, and much more.

Egg Nutrition Facts

Some of the nutrients your body gets from eating eggs are discussed below:

Carbs

The egg is a food with low carbs. One large egg is said to contain less than 1 gram of carbohydrates with little amount of fiber and sugar.

If prepared in the right way, eggs are great for individuals on ketogenic programs or working towards achieving a low-carb diet.

Fat

One large egg is packed with 5 grams of fat and about 1.6 of this fat is saturated fact while the rest is monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fat.

Fat in egg is found in the yolk and provides 55 calories which is equivalent to fat and protein combined.

Egg dishes are generally healthy but often mistaken for saturated fat which they don’t deserve. Interestingly, it is the way the egg dishes are prepared that adds unwanted additional fat to the dish.

Frying eggs with oil or butter, for instance, adds calories and fat to the meal. So, if you have cardiovascular-related health issues you may want to concentrate on eating boiled eggs instead of fried ones.

Also, since 5g of monounsaturated and 1.5g of saturated fat are found in the yolk, you should consider eating egg white only so that you can continue enjoying similar proteins without worrying about saturated fats.

Protein

Egg is a complete protein food packed with all 9 essential amino acids, crucial for rebuilding body tissues and muscles.

Most of the protein is found in egg white and one egg has approximately 4- 8 grams of protein, depending on egg size.

Egg white from one egg is packed with 17 calories and zero fat. It is also rich in leucine, an amino acid with a high potential to support weight loss.

Protein is generally an indispensable nutrient the body requires for power, making constant supply of this essential amino acid crucial. So, adding eggs to your diet can help the body get more of this nutrient for optimal functioning.

Vitamins and Minerals

Eggs are one of the few foods with dense minerals and vitamins. Eggs are packed with vitamin D, essential for boosting immunity, promoting better calcium absorption, and bone strengthening.

Eggs also contain Vitamin A and choline. While Vitamin A helps support healthy skin cell growth, choline is crucial in promoting healthy vision (eye health). Choline is important for expectant mothers as it promotes optimal development.

Eggs Health Benefits

Eggs are generally affordable and rich in nutrients for a healthy body. Eating eggs can provide the following health benefits:

Eggs support weight loss over time

Eggs have been linked to weight loss support probably because of their ability to reduce hunger strikes by keeping fuller for a long. They are also low in calories, making them ideal for keeping weight in check.

According to research published in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition, foods rich in proteins including eggs have lean proteins and fewer calories compared to higher-fat poultry and meat.

Eggs can help Improve brain health

According to a clinical dietitian in the bariatric services division of the University of Missouri Health Care, Michelle Hoeing Bauche, MS, RDN, eggs are a rich source of choline, a vital nutrient for muscle control, healthy memory, and mood.

Choline belongs to B vitamin family and its consumption through food such as eggs can help prevent health issues like cardiovascular illnesses, fatty liver disease, and early brain dysfunction like dementia (memory loss) and other cognitive impairments.

Eggs can help preserve vision and eye health

Apart from earlier discussed nutrients, eggs also contain crucial chemical compounds called carotenoids. It is normally present in vegetables and has been shown to boost the body’s immune function over time.

Anne Marie Gloster, Ph.D., R.D of from the University of Washington says that carotenoid compounds are responsible for producing orange, yellow, and red colors in vegetables and fruits.

According to Gloster, eggs are also packed with a class of carotenoids called xanthophylls. This compound is found in egg yolk and has been shown to promote vision health.

A publication in Nutrients Journal notes that eggs are high in zeaxanthin and carotenoids lutein, essential for protecting eyes from macular degeneration (vision loss that comes as a result of aging).

Another research published in Current Development in Nutrition has revealed that eggs contain lutein and zeaxanthin which play a crucial role in maintaining vision health by preventing vision decline in old age as well as cataracts themselves. The two elements have also been shown to have an impact on cognition.

Eggs safeguard pregnancy development

Choline intake is critical during pregnancy because it has been found to support fetal brain development and also help in the prevention of birth defects.

Studies have revealed that about 95% of pregnant women could be suffering from choline deficiency. Choline consumption has been linked to boosted cognitive development in children after birth.

While folate is the main nutrient known to prevent neural tube defects, choline equally plays a similar role because it has also been found to aid in cell membrane synthesis and neurotransmission.

50% intake of choline has been recommended for pregnant women and studies show that two large eggs can provide more than the recommended 50 percent.

Eggs help to build healthier bones

Sun is the most common source of Vitamin. However, it is not the only source of Vitamin D. Some foods like eggs can also naturally provide our bodies with Vitamin D.

Vitamin D has been shown to play a crucial role in supporting healthy bones, boosting calcium absorption, reducing inflammation, and promoting neuromuscular function.

Should I only eat egg whites?

The yolk is part of the egg packed with cholesterol. So, if your aim is to enjoy the benefits of eating eggs daily while you dodge extra cholesterol, then eating egg white can go a long way in helping you achieve this.

However, you should not cut out your eggs if you eat them occasionally in a week. The yolk is packed with essential nutrients that play a crucial role in your overall body health.

The fat present in the yolk also helps your body to absorb minerals and vitamins into the body. Also remember that the yolk holds 40 percent of the protein contained in the egg and so, if you avoid eating the yolk, you will miss out on essential proteins vital for maintaining a healthy body.

Are brown eggs healthier than white eggs?

Not really! According to Bauche, egg color isn’t an indicator of taste, nutrition, or quality. Egg color depends on the hen breed. Hens with white feathers are known to lay white eggs while those with brown feathers lay brown eggs.

The reason why brown eggs are expensive compared to white ones is that hens with brown feathers are usually bigger and quite expensive to raise or take care of.

Egg Varieties

When it comes to egg varieties, labels can really confuse. The designations of these eggs are explained below:

• Pasture-raised: according to the current USDA regulations, pasture-raised eggs mean that hens that laid the eggs spent most of their time outdoors with adequate space to roam around and barn access. They feed on insects, diet warms, and grass plus their feed, replicating a chicken’s natural environment and diet.
• Free Range: Free range label means the eggs are from the hens kept in a room, building, or area with unrestricted access to water and food. The hens also have continuous access to the outdoors during the laying cycle. The outdoor area is fenced or covered with netting.
• Vegetarian-fed: According to the USDA regulations, these are eggs from hens that do not feed on animal byproducts. However, note that even if their feed is not from animal by-products, chickens left to roam cannot be vegetarian but omnivorous because they do feed on insects and worms which are their protein source.
• All-natural or Farm-fresh: While this label may have no specific meaning, it is still part of the federal regulation requirements and it is mostly used for marketing purposes.
• Cage-free: According to the USDA, these are eggs from hens housed in a room, building, or an enclosed space with unlimited access to water and food. The term cage-free here doesn’t mean that hens can walk outside.
• Organic: Organic label means that the eggs are from hens fed on food free of synthetic chemicals. The ingredients are organic certified and the hens are free-range. The hens are not injected with growth hormones and not given antibiotics. A supporting document from an accredited certifying agent to the USDA must be availed to verify that the flock is for sure organic.
• No Hormones Added: Whether the label indicates this or not, the truth is that the egg industry doesn’t use hormones to produce shell eggs.
• Antibiotic-free: Whether or not this label is specified on the carton, eggs produced in the United States are free of antibiotics. As per the FDA regulations, if the hens become sick, antibiotics may be administered but eggs produced during this period are not released on the market for human consumption.
• AA, A, or B: According to the American Egg Board and USDA, the grading AA, A, or B on the carton has nothing to do with nutritional value. They signify standards of appearance like cleanliness, eggshell soundness, and condition of yolk or white.
• Gluten-free: All eggs are considered gluten-free. Even if the eggs are produced by hens fed on grain containing gluten, the substance is usually broken down during digestion and there are zero chances that it will be passed on to the eggs.
• Zero-trans Fats: The label is to let you know that the Trans Fatty Acids in the eggs are less than 0.5 grams a claim that is factual for all eggs.