Eggs are an amazing powerhouse of nutrients and yes they are cholesterol rich! So, does that mean we should avoid them? The answer is no! We need cholesterol in our body for many important functions and our body actually makes cholesterol even if we try to avoid it. Contrary to popular belief, the amount of cholesterol we eat actually has less impact on blood cholesterol levels then we think. We need good fats and cholesterol in our diet for every cell in the body, for hormone health and for immune health.
Eggs fell out of good favor as they were tied to causing cholesterol levels to increase and increasing heart disease risks. People quickly turned to egg whites as an alternative, yet the truth is, the nutrients are mostly in the yolk!
Eggs in fact are a wonderful food and a fantastic source of protein as well as carotenoids, vitamins A and D, B vitamins, choline, biotin, folic acid, and potassium. They also contain the friendly essential fatty acids our bodies need for optimal health along with lecithin which helps our body from forming fat deposits as it is a fat emulsifier. If you only eat the whites, you will be missing out on all of these wonderful nutrients!
Keep in mind, the nutrients in eggs are only as good as how well the chicken is raised and what the chicken eats. Chickens packaged tightly in cages undergo stress, lowering their immune systems and raising their likelihood of infection. Many times, chickens are given regular antibiotics to help keep down infection rates. Furthermore, chickens are meant to be roaming outside and eating insects! If you are going to start eating eggs again, be sure to get free-range eggs without antibiotics or hormones.
The fat profile of eggs also depends on what the chicken eats – pastured/free-range eggs have much higher levels of essential fatty acids to help our body decrease inflammation and promote brain health. The difference in taste and yolk color is amazing in free-range eggs (bright orange/yellow) and implicates a much higher nutrient value. Note that color of shell plays no role in nutrient value and simply is based on the type of chicken laying the egg. Hence contrary to popular belief, brown eggs are not necessarily healthier than white, nor does it mean the eggs are organic. For optimal nutrients be sure to buy free-range, organic eggs. Eat the whole egg and don’t worry about the cholesterol!
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