Egg-cellent Nutrition: The Health Benefits of Egg

It’s Easter! That means Easter baskets, egg hunts, and the all important tradition of dying and decorating eggs. And with the egg often being the focus of so many Easter events it’s seems like the best time to talk about the health benefits of the “incredible edible egg.”

THE NUTRITIVE VALUE OF EGGS

While many only focus on the cholesterol content of eggs, it really has so much more to offer and certainly packs a nutritious punch.  A healthy diet that includes eggs can aid in weight management, muscle development, healthy pregnancy, and brain and eye function.  A single egg, at only 70-80 calories provides 6 grams of high quality protein and 13 essential vitamins and minerals including B-vitamins and vitamin D. That’s a ‘shell’ of a nutrition profile if you ask me.

Eggs and Protein

As mentioned, a single large egg provides 6 grams of high quality protein. This means it is easily utilized by the body keeping you energized and it can even make you feel fuller longer, which can help you maintain a healthy weight. In fact, some research has shown that eggs eaten at the beginning of the day can reduce overall daily caloric consumption.

Eggs and Pregnancy

Choline, an essential nutrient found eggs contributes to fetal brain development and helps prevent birth defects. A single egg provides approximately 25% of the recommended daily intake for pregnant and breastfeeding women.

Eggs and Brain Function

The term “egg head” refers to an intelligent person, and rightly so. That’s because choline also aids in adult brain function by maintaining the structure of brain cell membranes. It also helps play a key role in relaying messages from the brain to other parts of the body.

Eggs and Vision

Eggs contain two antioxidants, lutein and zeaxanthin, that have been shown to help prevent macular degeneration, a common condition among people age 50 and older.

SOME EGG-STRA INFO

If you’re interested in learning more about egg nutrition, check out another great resource at www.enc-online.org.

Did you know?

• It is a common misconception that ALL the protein is in the egg white, however, nearly half is located in the yolk.
• Many people shy away from eggs due to their cholesterol content. But more and more research shows that eggs can be included in a healthy diet without significantly impacting cholesterol levels, or the risk for heart disease.
• The latest USDA data shows that eggs are lower in cholesterol (185 milligrams per large egg on average, which is 14% less) than previously recorded. The USDA data also shows eggs are now higher in vitamin D.
• Dietary guidelines suggest Americans consume less than 300 milligrams of cholesterol per day. One large eggs contains about 185 milligrams.
• May is National Egg Month.