Perhaps
you've skipped this breakfast gem for fear of raising your cholesterol. Free
yourself from that misconception and indulge in the treasure that a good ol' egg
has to offer. Three eggs per day over a 12-week period for obese participants on
a carbohydrate restricted diet actually lowered the bad LDL cholesterol and
raised the good HDL(1). Another study showed that two eggs per day for six weeks
did not affect cholesterol levels or brachial artery endothelial function (2).
Yet another study demonstrated that people eating equal to or more than 4 eggs
per week had lower cholesterol levels than those eating less than or one egg per
week (3).
That aside, eggs are packed with vitamins A, D, E, B2, B6, B9,
iron, calcium, phosphorous, potassium and choline (4). Now, when you think
choline, think brains and babies. One egg supplies 20% of the daily recommended
intake of choline, and it is used as a building block for phospholipids used in
all cell membranes and is particularly integral in brain and nerve health. Share
with all pregnant women you know that choline from eggs is essential for proper
fetal brain development and decreased neural tube defects, and it is a necessary
constituent in breast milk. In addition, choline proves important in: memory
function, reducing breast cancer risk, and maintaining normal homocysteine
levels. It also lowers: plasma C-reactive protein, tumor necrosis factor, and
interleukin 6. In fact, in one study, lack of dietary choline resulted in fatty
liver, muscle damage and some organ dysfunction (5).
Lutein and
zeaxanthin are the carotenoids that imbue the bright sunshine to the yolk, so
think eyes and a healthy macula when the rays beam your way. Lutein levels from
eggs beat both cooked spinach and lutein supplements by three times in blood
serum, and 12 weeks of eating eggs increased subjects' zeaxanthin serum levels
and macular pigment (6,7).
Tryptophan and tyrosine are two amino acid egg
antioxidants. Tryptophan, with a little help from a carbohydrate meal, crosses
the blood brain barrier and is converted to serotonin. Serotonin, a potent mood
enhancer (as many anti-depressants induce elevated levels of) can be then
converted in the pineal gland to melatonin, which promotes sleepiness(8).
Tyrosine is a precursor to epinephrine, norepinephrine, dopamine and thyroid
hormones all modulating your go-go, good feelings, and alertness.
Now
before you go out and buy out the market, keep in mind that pasture raised,
free-grazing hens produce a superior quality egg and are less prone to
salmonella contamination (9). Free hens lay eggs with 3 times more vitamin E, 7
times more beta-carotene, 1/3 less cholesterol, 1/4 less saturated fat, 2/3 more
vitamin A, and 2 times more omega-3 fatty acids (10).
A great bargain,
eggs are easy on the wallet and packed with goodness. So, be brave, be an
egghead, and see what these capsules of dense nutrition can do for
you.
1.Mutungi G, Ratliff J, Puglisi M, et al. Dietary cholesterol from
eggs increases plasma HDL cholesterol in overweight men consuming a
carbohydrate-restricted diet. J Nutr 2008;138:272-6.
2.
http://www.sciencedirect.com/scienc...3.Song WO, Kerver
JM. Nutritional contribution of eggs to American diets. J Am Coll Nutr
2000;19:556S-62S.
4.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Egg_(food)
5.
http://www.cholineinfo.org/pdf/you_...6.
http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/pr/2004/...7.
http://jn.nutrition.org/content/136...8.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trypto...9.
http://www.naturalchoices.co.uk/Sal...10.
http://www.motherearthnews.com/Real...Kelly Pepper D.C. - Natural News
