Are eggs bad for you?

Are eggs bad for you?

Over the Christmas holiday, I spent a few days with my parents who follow a low fat, high carb diet. Very little of what I preach here at Healthy Mind Fit Body gets through to them, as they are steeped in the idea that fat must be consumed in limited quantities, that bread is the “staff of life”, and that cholesterol from eggs (specifically egg yolks) leads to “high cholesterol”.

Well let’s take a look at this last myth and break it down!

First of all, the science backs the fact that consuming cholesterol in your diet does not raise your cholesterol levels. The problem is that in the 70’s and 80’s, there was a mass campaign to demonize eggs, because of their cholesterol content. The thought was that eating eggs would lead to high cholesterol, and ultimately heart disease. Nonsense!

Not only does dietary cholesterol NOT lead to higher blood cholesterol, it’s not a highly significant measure of health. As most people know, there is HDL and LDL cholesterol, and raising HDL is a good thing. Even elevated LDL is not necessarily unhealthy. It would depend on the kind of LDL we’re talking about! (A good, fun look at this is in the movie “Fathead” by Tom Naughton).

Here’s a video that might help explain this a little further:

And what is good about eggs?

Lots!

Here’s a list of nutrients that eggs contain:

1. Rich in B-vitamins
2. Also contain vitmains A & D
3. Great source of ribovlavin
4. Great source of choline
5. Also abundant in lutein, zeaxanthin, and carotenoids which protect our eyes from macular degeneration.

Keep in mind, most of these nutrients are found in the yolk.

By cutting eggs out of your diet or sticking with egg-whites only, not only are you missing out on lots of essential nutrition, you also miss out on flavor and the satiation that the yolks provide.

I tend to eat my eggs raw in smoothies, or scrambled with avocado and salsa.

How do you like your eggs?