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You might be aware of the fact that in recent past many healthy foods like coconut oil, unprocessed meat, etc., were considered as unhealthy foods.
So it is a right time to discuss a hotly debated subject that whether eggs are good or bad for you.
If you are gyming or on weight loss program then eggs might be in your core diet list. And you have also noticed that some people have only boiled egg white or egg white omelets.
So, what’s the exact reason, people are avoiding egg yolks?
Of course, there are some realities and myths related to eggs. Due to some older scientific studies, lots of misguided advice came against eggs.
In this article, we will discuss and try to find out the answer whether eggs are good or bad for you.
First of all, we will see, what does a single egg contain?
One egg, boiled, weighing around 50 gms contains the following nutrients. (1)
| Energy | 71 | kcal |
| Protein | 6.24 | g |
| Total lipid (fat) | 4.72 | g |
| Carbohydrate, by difference | 0.36 | g |
| Fiber, total dietary | 0 | g |
| Sugars, total including NLEA | 0.185 | g |
| Calcium, Ca | 28 | mg |
| Iron, Fe | 0.87 | mg |
| Magnesium, Mg | 6 | mg |
| Phosphorus, P | 98.5 | mg |
| Potassium, K | 68.5 | mg |
| Sodium, Na | 214 | mg |
| Thiamin | 0.017 | mg |
| Riboflavin | 0.216 | mg |
| Niacin | 0.036 | mg |
| Vitamin B-6 | 0.08 | mg |
| Folate, total | 17.5 | µg |
| Folate, food | 17.5 | µg |
| Folate, DFE | 17.5 | µg |
| Choline, total | 117 | mg |
| Vitamin B-12 | 0.375 | µg |
| Vitamin A, RAE | 79.5 | µg |
| Retinol | 79.5 | µg |
| Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) | 0.52 | mg |
| Vitamin D (D2 + D3) | 1 | µg |
| Vitamin K (phylloquinone) | 0.15 | µg |
| Fatty acids, total saturated | 1.55 | g |
| Fatty acids, total monounsaturated | 1.82 | g |
| Cholesterol | 184 | mg |
| Lutein + zeaxanthin | 250 | µg |
First of all, we will see a favorable part of eating eggs. Are Eggs Really Good for You?
1. An egg is nutritious
One egg contains 70 calories and 6 gms of high-quality protein, 5gms of fat along with vitamins, minerals, and carotenoids.
2. An egg is a satisfying source of protein.
So, in simple word, it is a powerhouse. It is a complete protein.
3. Eggs also contain powerful antioxidants
An egg also contains powerful antioxidants like lutein and zeaxanthin, which are associated with good effects on eyes. These antioxidants reduce the risk of blindness in old age people. Lutein and zeaxanthin have favorable effects on brain development and memory enhancement. (2)
4. Eggs are filling meal.
There are plenty of studies conducted and they show that eggs are high in satiety index and may help to control your hunger. So, basically, eggs promote fullness. So it is but obvious that you will reduce your next meal. (3), (4), (5)
5. Eggs contain lots of vitamins and minerals.
Eggs contain vitamin A, folate vitamin B12, Vitamin B5, vitamin B2, vitamins like D, E, K.
Eggs also contain minerals like calcium, potassium, zinc, phosphorus, selenium, and others.
No, let’s have look what the American Heart Association is saying on eggs.
Now, we will see arguments against eggs.
1. Eggs contain saturated fats
An egg contains 5gms of total fat. And “YES” it is saturated fat.
The different research organizations spent a lot of time and resources studying the direct connection between saturated fat and heart disease.
Despite this, hard work and billions of dollars research, this theory has not been supported by strong evidence. (3), (4)
So, fear is overhyped and deluded in nature.
2. Eggs are high in cholesterol
Yes. Eggs are high in cholesterol.
But people are responding differently though it contains high cholesterol level.
Research showed us that people consuming one or two eggs per day have no issue of heart disease related to eggs. Actually, your heart gets affected more by saturated fat and trans fat you eat.
In simple words, it matters what you eat with eggs. The saturated fat in cheese, butter bacon, etc., are one of the main cause to raise your blood cholesterol level than eggs.
So one should try vegetables, spinach, avocado, etc with eggs. (5) , (6), (7)
Egg yolk vs white
The truth is that all the majority nutrients mentioned above are found in the yolk.
The white contains only protein without any fat. Generally, it is better to have full egg, but if you are on weight loss program, diet control or diabetic then you may be advised to have only egg white.
How many eggs can you eat on a single day?
Eggs are one of the most nutritious food on the planet.
One single egg contains 186mg of cholesterol which is 65% of our daily need. And in other hand egg white contains high protein.
There is no such scientific support to answer on how many eggs can wee eat on a single day. But the general recommendation is one or two eggs per day. (8)
There are lots of studies conducted on different groups on eggs effect and in almost all studies it has been found that “good cholesterol-HDL” goes up. (9) , (10)
Eggs and heart disease
There are several studies which show that people who eat eggs are no more likely to develop cardiovascular disease than those who do not eat. (11), (12)
However, people with type 2 diabetes who eat a lot of eggs may have an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. (13)
People who eat more bad carbs and saturated fats like cheese, butter, bacon, etc. with eggs are more likely to develop heart disease.
Is it necessary to eat eggs to keep healthy?
Not necessarily.
We do agree that eggs are very nutritious and incredibly healthy, so are many other foods.
In India, where people are mostly vegetarian and who do not eat eggs at all, but still, they are very healthy with their plant-based and dairy diet.
Can you drink milk after eating eggs?
Since decades we have been hearing that you can not have milk and eggs together as the combination is not a good meal. And it is not good for your health.
But in reality, no such research found that proclaims egg and milk combination as bad. On the contrary, if you eat cooked eggs with milk then it has an additional advantage as both are a great source of protein. But consuming raw eggs with milk sometimes may lead to food poisoning and bacterial infection.
Even famous protein estore Bodybuilding.com also recommends this combination for breakfast.
Bottom line: Eggs are nutritious and filling food. They are a satisfying source of protein. But at the same time if it is good for you that does not mean good for others. You should consult your physician if you are high in cholesterol and as per his advice, you should include eggs in your diet.
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