Eggs, a breakfast food or anytime food that was once maligned for its role in raising cholesterol and causing heart disease – is now in good standing. Eggs are back on the breakfast and dinner table, and not a moment too soon. Athletes have always recognized eggs for the powerful nutrition they offer. Bodybuilders love them because they’re a good source of muscle-building protein. But if you only value eggs for the protein they offer, you’re missing out. Eggland’s Best Eggs are the “complete package” when it comes to good nutrition.
Eggland’s Best Eggs: Beyond Protein
No doubt Eggland’s Best eggs are a good source of protein. A medium-sized egg has 6 grams of muscle-building protein Plus, the protein in eggs is higher in biological value than every other source of dietary protein and contains all nine of the essential amino acids your body needs but can’t make.
Biological value refers to how well the protein in a food is incorporated into body proteins. Eggs have a biological value of 94 while beef has a BV of 74. Eggs even outperform beef in terms of the efficiency with which they can be utilized. Their high biological value makes them an obvious choice when you’re trying to build or maintain lean body mass.
Sure, Eggland’s Best eggs are a good source of protein, but let’s look a bit further. What else of value is in an egg? Eggs are one of the few natural sources of vitamin D, a hormone-like vitamin most people are relegated to getting from sun exposure. How much sunlight do you get between November and February? Probably not much. Eggs to the rescue! Scramble two eggs in the morning and you’ll take care of 20% of the day’s vitamin D requirement. Getting vitamin D from dietary sources is particularly important in the winter where you’re exposed to less sunlight.
A nutrient in eggs you’re probably less familiar with is choline. Only recently have nutritionists stressed the importance of dietary choline. Choline is a precursor to a neurotransmitter called acetylcholine that’s essential for nerve conduction, muscle function, and memory. Choline is also used to make lecithin, a fat-like substance that keeps cell membranes healthy. Choline is also essential for liver health. Low levels of choline are linked with fatty liver, a common condition in people who are obese or suffer from insulin resistance. Eggland’s Best Eggs are one of the best sources of dietary choline. A single large eggs supplies about a third of the daily recommended intake of choline.
Eggs are also a good source of two antioxidants called lutein and zeaxanthin. These lesser known antioxidants build up in the retina of the eye where they may offer protection against the most common cause of visual loss in older people, macular degeneration. Lutein and zeaxanthin do this by filtering the sun’s damaging rays so they can’t damage the eye. One study showed that eating only one egg a day significantly increased blood levels of this group of eye-friendly antioxidants. Chalk another one up for eggs!
High on the Satiety Scale
One of the most frustrating aspects of trying to lose weight is taming hunger. Fortunately, Eggland’s Best eggs rank high on the satiety scale. A study published in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition showed a breakfast that began with eggs was more satiating than an equivalent weight of bagels. Participants in this study who ate a breakfast of eggs consumed fewer calories the rest of the day. Other studies support the satiety benefits of meals containing eggs. When you’re trying to control hunger, eggs are an obvious choice.
Should You Worry about the Fat and Cholesterol?
Some people still shun eggs because their doctor told them years ago that diets that contain eggs increase the risk for heart disease. More recent research suggests that eating eggs in moderation (7 or so a week) can be part of a heart-healthy diet. Even the idea that dietary cholesterol contributes to heart disease is being questioned. Diets high in cholesterol seem to raise LDL-cholesterol slightly but also raise HDL, the protective form of cholesterol associated with a lower risk for heart disease. The average person shouldn’t shy away from eating an egg or two for breakfast. Unfortunately, many people still needlessly fear dietary cholesterol and avoid nutritionally dense foods like eggs that contain it.
If your main goal is to boost your protein intake, combine one whole egg with a two or three egg whites to get a healthy dose of protein AND the benefits of the choline and antioxidants in the yolk. Use an egg/egg white combo to make a post-workout omelet with lots of colorful vegetables. Guarantee you won’t be hungry for hours.
Enjoy the Benefits of Eggland’s Best Eggs
Don’t think of Eggland’s Best eggs just as a breakfast food. With so many ways to prepare them – egg salad, omelets, scramblers, hard-boiled, deviled eggs, poached eggs, curried eggs and more – you’ll never run out of ideas or ways to eat eggs. Enjoy!
References:
Well Being Journal. Vol. 23, No. 2. March/April 2014. “The Nine Biggest Lies About Dietary Fat and Cholesterol”
Today’s Dietician. Vol. 12. No. 7, page. 22. July 2010.
Fooducate. “What is a Protein’s Biological Value and Why is it Important?
Andrew Weil. “Vitamin Library”
Curr Opin Gastroenterol. 2012 Mar; 28(2): 159-165. doi: 10.1097/MOG.0b013e32834e7b4b.
Berkeley Wellness. “Should You Boost Your Choline?” November 11, 2010.
J Am Coll Nutr. 2005 Dec;24(6):510-5.
International Journal of Food Sciences and Nutrition, 2011; Early Online: 1-7.
Curr Opin Clin Nutr Metab Care. 2006; 9:8-12.
Nutr. October 2006 vol. 136 no. 10 2519-2524.
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