**Disclaimer** While the word of wisdom gives us basic guidelines for health, it leaves the interpretation of those guideline up to the individual members. This blog is not intended to replace your medical professional or the divine revelation of the Word of Wisdom, but rather it is practical knowledge that I have accumulated over the years in my own pursuit of a healthier lifestyle which I am passing along in the hopes that it will benefit others.**
Eggs are one of the few foods that can truly be called a “superfood.” They are full of nutrients. Some of these nutrients are difficult to find in the modern diets of most people today, making foods like eggs all the more important to your overall health.
10 Health benefits that eggs can offer you
A single egg contains only 77 calories, but contains 6 grams of protein and 5 grams of healthy fats in addition to an extensive list of vitamins and nutrients including:
For years, because they contain cholesterol, eggs were said to be an enemy to heart health, but many years of subsequent study have revealed that this is not true.
Eggs are high in Cholesterol, but it is naturally occurring cholesterol which makes all the difference. Years of study have shown that eggs have many health benefits. Because of the way our bodies work, eating eggs does will not be a problem for most people.
This is due in part to our Liver, which produces cholesterol every day. Cholesterol in the right balance is necessary for our bodies to function properly, and when we eat a source of naturally occurring cholesterol, the liver produces less of its own, balancing it out.
The real enemy to heart health is Trans fats which are in abundance in fast foods, and baked goods that are often made with hydrogenated shortenings, and unhealthy Omega 6 oils.
Eggs raise the High-Density Lipoprotein, or HDL, known as our good cholesterol. People who have high levels of HDL have a lower risk of heart disease, strokes, and other health problems. Eggs help to keep a proper balance between HDL and LDL, which is known as bad cholesterol, enhancing our overall good health.
Choline is an important nutrient that is usually grouped with the B vitamins. Most people don’t get enough Choline in their diets, and many people have no idea what it is or why we need it.
While Choline may be a lesser known nutrient, it plays a vital role in building cell membranes and helping to produce the signaling molecules in our brains.
A single egg provides more than 100 mg of Choline making it a powerhouse source of this critical nutrient.
Eggs also contain Lutein and Zeaxanthin, antioxidants that build up in the retina of the eye. These two antioxidants can significantly reduce the risk of cataracts and macular degeneration.
In the past people have been advised to eat only the white of the egg, but there is no evidence to prove that the yolk is unhealthy, and it is in the yolk of the egg that we find significant amounts of these antioxidants.
Eggs are also high in Vitamin A, which is worth mentioning here as a contributor to eye health because Vitamin A deficiency is a leading cause of blindness around the world.
Another important nutrient in eggs is Omega 3 fatty acids. They improve heart health by lowering levels of triglycerides in the blood.
Eggs are high in protein, and proteins are the building blocks our bodies use to make the new tissue that our bodies use for constant daily renewal and repair. Eggs are high in these necessary proteins, with all of the essential amino acids that our bodies need, in exactly the right amounts.
Because eggs are packed with protein, they are also very fulfilling, and are high on the Satiety Index providing a comfortable feeling of fullness, and are therefore helpful in eating less, which may assist those who are trying to bring their weight to healthy levels.
In one study 30 women who ate eggs instead of carbohydrates for breakfast had increased feelings of fullness throughout the day and automatically consumed fewer calories over the next 36 hours.
The kinds of foods that we eat are imperative for good health, but I believe it is equally important to know where that food came from and how it is raised.
Fruits and vegetables that are grown in soil that is fertilized naturally and without pesticides will yield a higher level of nutrition, with fewer toxins, than its GMO raised counterpart. The same holds true of foods that are produced from animals.
To read more of Denise’s articles, click here.
The chicken that lays that egg, that you had for breakfast, will produce an egg of inferior quality if it was fed low-quality GMO, or pesticide-laden feed, instead of being allowed to eat foods in its natural environment.
The result being that the egg will then have fewer nutritional benefits as well as an increase in the toxins and GMOs being passed along to whoever consumes it.
So enjoy eggs in all of the varieties and ways that you enjoy them . Just be mindful of how you prepare your eggs. Use natural fats and other ingredients when fixing eggs and they can be a healthy and satisfying part of your day!
Resources:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC24942/
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8120521
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2782876/
http://iovs.arvojournals.org/article.aspx?articleid=2163108
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16373948
Denise is a Michigander turned Pennsylvanian, who has been writing stories since Elementary School. Denise won an award at the annual Lansing Youth Talent Show, when she was in 10th grade, for a short story entitled Procrastination is Fatal, but didn’t decide on writing as a career until she was 28 years old. While homeschooling her older children she spent 4 years working through a course from The Institute of Children’s Literature.
Through the years Denise’s children have had a variety of health issues, many of which have been linked to various sensitives; having spent more than 20 years researching and trying different things Denise has a boots on the ground view on healthier living.
Denise currently writes for 2 blogs and has several books in different stages of completion. She is planning to break ground in e publishing, and hopes to have her first Historical Fantasy book which is set during the renaissance, “Lisa, My Lisa?” ready by the first of the year.
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