Egg Good or Bad for Health?

Many people wonder if it is good or bad for health to eat eggs daily. Far from what some people believe, the egg alone does not increase cholesterol. It gives us, of course, many nutrients, such as amino acids, vitamins, and minerals.

There are opinions for and against egg intake. It seems clear that this food is of great nutritional value for the body.  However, there are those who claim that it may not be so beneficial to our health. How right are those who think so?

In this article, you will find the answer to the question of whether it is good or bad for health to eat an egg.

Egg Nutritional Values

The egg is a nutrient-rich food. If we add to this how versatile and affordable it is, it is easily understood that it is a fundamental part of our diet. However, we often say that it is not good for your health. The fundamental argument is that it raises cholesterol and fats in the body, which could cause cardiovascular disease.

The egg not only provides proteins to the body but vitamins and fats, both monounsaturated and polyunsaturated.

On the one hand, it is convenient to know that cholesterol is essential for the proper functioning of the body. It gives body to the cellular plasma membrane and, therefore, intervenes in the regulation of cell transport.

On the other, not less certain is the need we have to keep cholesterol levels low if we want to be healthy. But, this is something that has nothing to do with the egg. 

Opinions for and against

It is easy to analyze the effects of eating eggs frequently, both short and long term. In fact, there are studies that demonstrate its benefits, while others try to prove otherwise. In spite of everything, we can affirm that there is no tangible evidence that confirms that eating eggs harms health.

Trans fats from processed foods, hiking, stress, tobacco and alcohol often weigh heavily on increasing blood cholesterol. Excessive egg consumption added to some of these factors could be detrimental to health.

Other important issues are the quantity, frequency and the way we consume the egg. It is not the same to eat eggs every day in a week. Nor does it contribute the same amount of fat to eat them fried as hard or semi-raw.

In any case, it is recommended that the intake of eggs does not exceed four or five per week. That amount could vary depending on the diner, his age, his habits and background.

Myths and truths about the egg

There are many myths and truths about the health benefits of eating eggs. Is it good or bad for the health?? Let’s discuss:

Eating eggs increases blood cholesterol levels

As said before, the egg alone does not increase cholesterol. This is something that does happen with animal fats, such as meat or sausages.

Therefore, this belief is false.

The colored egg is better than white

The tone of the shell has nothing to do with the nutritional value of the egg content. The color varies according to the breed of the hen. Therefore, there are white and others, browner. All are equally nutritious.

Hence, this belief is false. 

Avoid eating raw eggs

Cooking the egg well greatly reduces the risk of salmonella poisoning. It is understood that food such as egg is well cooked when the cooking temperature is equal to or greater than 60 ° C.

This advice is true. 

It is necessary to wash it before storing it in the fridge

Among other microorganisms, we usually find salmonella in the eggshell. Therefore, by washing it, we could contribute to the dissemination of these microbes also on the surface where we support it.  However, it is recommended to clean it with running water at the time of cooking.

Hence, the statement from which we start has no reason to be, so it is false. 

Children and pregnant women do not have to eat eggs

Quite the opposite. The egg provides proteins and vitamins that are necessary both for maternal health and for the growth of the fetus. Its contribution is particularly important for the correct development of the nervous system. It is also essential for the elimination of food allergies; especially those that manifest during the first years of life.

However, it should be noted that babies can only eat eggs after 8 months.

Therefore, we can ensure that this statement is false.

Older people should not eat egg

The elderly constitute another group to which it is recommended to consume three eggs per week in order to avoid the loss of muscle mass. A large amount of antioxidants contained in the egg helps them delay the onset of degenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's or arteriosclerosis.

Nothing is further from the truth than this belief. Therefore, it is false.

The egg has many calories: false

Among other nutrients such as zinc and iron, an egg provides 6 grams of protein and only 80 calories if consumed cooked (not fried). As if that were not enough, its essential amino acids are of excellent quality.

Therefore, we can say that this statement is false.

The living conditions of the hens are manipulated so that they produce more eggs: true

It is necessary to make a caveat because this does not happen in all cases. In the big industry, where eggs are produced intensively, the living conditions of the hens are often altered. One of them, for example, is the manipulation of light to accelerate the ovulation process. The result of practices like this is that hens lay more eggs in much less time than in normal conditions.

However, there are small farms or family businesses where they are committed to product quality. Naturally, its production is scarce compared to that of the big industry. Therefore, they are forced to raise the price when marketing them.

Therefore, we could say that the starting thesis is true if we talk about the big food industry.

The white is better than the yolk

Many people wonder if it is better to consume only the yolk or only the white. Or, simply, the whole egg.

In favor of the yolk, it should be said that it contains a good part of the egg's nutrients. Let us think that the yolk is the egg of the egg. That is, where the embryo is formed if the egg is fertilized and then embolized. It is the vitamins and proteins present in the yolk that allow the entire process to be completed.

The white, meanwhile, is rich in amino acids, necessary for the maintenance and development of muscle tone. In fact, egg white constitutes a fundamental part of the diet of athletes and people who train to develop muscles.

On the other hand, the clear one does not have much fat, so its consumption is advised by people who want to lose weight. Nor does it provide cholesterol. Hence, even someone with high triglycerides can eat as many clear as they want; Not so the yolks.

From all this, it follows that the initial statement is false. Depending on the nutritional objective we pursue, it will be convenient to eat the whole egg.

How many eggs you can eat a day?

A large number of studies on egg consumption conclude that eating one or two a day does not pose a health risk. That is, it does not increase the chances of suffering from cardiovascular diseases.

Moreover, the egg has an essential nutrient for cardiovascular and cerebral functioning called choline.  This helps metabolize homocysteine, a fundamental element, in turn, in cellular metabolism. The latter is related to the increase in cardiovascular diseases.

That is, far from raising blood cholesterol levels, the egg helps reduce it.

Despite all these evidences, there are still people who firmly reject the idea of ​​including it in their usual diet.

Here are the reasons that make the egg such a complete food from the nutritional point of view. The eggs, besides being nutritious and healthy, are delicious and can be prepared in many ways:  scrambled or parrots, cooked, hard, fried and fried in water, etc. There is an infinite number of forms and dishes in which to incorporate them. And all equally rich.

Be sure to include the egg in the dishes you eat daily. Because it is really good for your health.