Top 6 Health Benefits Of Eating Eggs Backed By Research
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Frequently referred to by the science community using its Latin name, Ovum, eggs are the reproductive offspring of female chickens, also known as hens. The two main parts of an egg are the albumen, or the egg white, and the deutoplasm, or the yolk. Humans have been consuming animal eggs for hundreds of years which is no surprise considering they’re loaded with vitamins and they’re an excellent source of protein. While chicken eggs are the most popularly consumed eggs, other tasty egg sources include duck, quail, ostrich, and goose to name a few. Eggs are versatile in how they can be prepared; some popular preparations include hardboiled, fried, scrambled, and poached. Best of all, adding eggs to your diet can provide you with many wonderful health benefits; check out some of these benefits.
Important Note: All of the assertions made herein are representative of the most current research at the time of this publication.
Incredibly Nutritious
One of the most important reasons to include eggs in your diet is that they’re loaded with a bevy of powerful nutrients. In fact, scientists and dieticians agree that they’re one of the most nutritious foods on Earth. For starters, a single egg contains 6 grams of protein as well as 5 grams of healthy fats in addition to vitamin A, folate, and many of the B family of vitamins. Moreover, eggs are fraught with phosphorus, selenium, and vitamins D, E, and K. Lastly, eggs contain good concentrations of zinc and calcium too. At only 77 calories per serving, eggs are a nutrient-dense food that contain at least trace amounts of almost every nutrient your body requires to function well.
General Consensus: 5/5 and here is why. One of the most nutritious foods in the world, eggs are worth including in your diet.
Reduce Risk of Heart Disease
Despite the popular misconception that eggs are high in cholesterol and therefore bad for your heart, eggs actually reduce your risk for heart disease. To begin, the cholesterol misconception comes from the fact that egg yolks are certainly high in cholesterol, but it’s the heart-healthy good cholesterol. Interestingly, individuals whose blood panels reflect higher levels of the good cholesterol have a reduced risk for cardiovascular disease. By consuming just two eggs per day, you can improve your good cholesterol levels by a whopping 10%. Finally, while it’s true that eggs do contain some bad cholesterol, when consumed it converts from an unhealthy small, dense particle composition to heart-healthy, large particles as they’re digested. This is another reason why eating eggs may reduce your risk for heart disease despite the common misconception to the contrary.
General Consensus: 5/5 and here is why. Eating eggs improves your body’s good cholesterol which is an indicator of heart health.
Good for Eye Health
Another surprising benefit of regularly eating eggs is they’re good for your eye health. Notably, eggs contain significant concentrations of lutein and zeaxanthin. These antioxidants reduce oxidative stress and fight off harmful free radicals that might otherwise lead to diminished eyesight, blindness, macular degeneration, and other eye diseases. Both lutein and zeaxanthin collect in the eye’s retina doing their best work to protect your eyes. Eggs contain high concentrations of these nutrients in their yolks. Studies have shown that by eating approximately two eggs per day for just over four weeks, the concentrations of lutein and zeaxanthin increase in your blood by up to 50% and 142% respectively. Lastly, eggs contain respectable levels of vitamin A which is also a major contributor to eye health; in fact, vitamin A deficiency is one of the chief reasons for blindness.
General Consensus: 4/5 and here is why. Undoubtedly, the lutein, zeaxanthin, and vitamin A content in eggs is beneficial to eye health.
High in Protein
One of the most commonly recognized values of consuming eggs is that they’re high in protein. Adequate protein intake is necessary for many biological functions some of which include making tissues and molecules necessary to human function. According to the FDA, humans should consume about 50 grams of protein per day; a single egg contains 6 grams of protein making them an excellent source of this nutrient. Linked to proteins are amino acids in eggs that aid your body in optimizing protein usage. Optimal protein intake is linked to muscle production, weight loss, well-managed blood pressure, and bone health among other benefits.
General Consensus: 5/5 and here is why. Eggs are rife with animal proteins and amino acids necessary to human biological processes.
Good for Weight Control
One obvious effect of adding eggs to your diet is that they’re the perfect food for weight loss and management. For starters, eggs’ high protein content makes them incredibly filling, the benefit of which is reduced calorie intake. One study concluded that people with obesity who ate eggs for breakfast consumed fewer calories at lunch than those who ate a bagel for breakfast. In a similar study, subjects who ate eggs instead of bagels experienced a 65% weight loss and 16% reduction in body fat. Furthermore, eggs are low in calories, containing just 77 calories per serving, and only trace amounts of carbohydrates; the low calorie and carbohydrate count in eggs make them the perfect food when trying to avoid weight gain.
General Consensus: 5/5 and here is why. Eggs contain all the necessary properties to aid in optimal weight loss and management.
Good for the Brain
Eggs are high in choline, a nutrient associated with the health of your brain and nervous system. Significantly, choline is the nutrient responsible for making the signaling molecules in your brain. Unfortunately, most people don’t get enough choline in their diet so adding eggs, which contain 100 mg of choline per serving, is a great way to enjoy a boost of this nutrient. What’s more, the yolk, which contains the highest concentration of choline in eggs, reduces inflammation around the brain and improves brain function. Choline is important to memory function, brain signal communication, and so many other brain benefits.
General Consensus: 5/5 and here is why. Eggs are the best food source of choline, the brain-boosting nutrient.
Unlikely Benefits: Further Research Needed
Good for Anti-Aging
General Consensus: 2.5/5 and here is why. While it’s true that pasture-raised eggs have higher concentrations of omega-3 fatty acids which are good for anti-aging, not all eggs are pasture-raised.
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