Scrambled, fried, hard boiled, or poached - there seems to be a way to prepare eggs to satisfy even the pickiest of eaters. I'm sure many of you have fond memories of eating bacon and eggs for breakfast with your families on weekend mornings. Eggs are a comfort food. When asked what is wrong with eggs I sometimes flippantly reply "besides the yolk, the whites and the shell?" But, seriously, let's delve a little deeper...
Eggs have always been advertised as being an excellent source of protein, vitamins and other nutrients which are essential for good health. Eggs do supply protein, and several vitamins and minerals, but let's consider some of the other components of the egg. Contrary to what we may have read or heard on the news, consuming eggs can contribute to developing risk factors for serious health problems. The first concern regarding eggs is its high cholesterol content - eggs contain the highest concentrated source of cholesterol. But, that is not the end of the story.
Susan Levin, MS, R.D, from the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM) addresses these issues in a very interesting article full of scientific references which she wrote for Forks Over Knives. In fact, her article was the inspiration for this blog. Some of the points that Susan brings out include:
- One egg contains more cholesterol than people with many diseases should eat in a day
- Human beings make enough cholesterol and have no need to eat dietary cholesterol
- Eggs are a common source of food poisoning due to the porous nature of their shells
- Numersous studies show that eggs contribute to Cancer, Diabetes and Heart Disease
- Even egg whites are problematic due to being concentrated sources of animal protein
Susan's parting words to her readers:
Be smart! Skip the eggs and enjoy better health!
Plant-based foods which offers the same nutritive value of eggs, without any of the negative effects, include lentils, chia seeds, quinoa, nutritional yeast, sunflower seeds, flax seeds, almonds, walnuts, cashews and beans. But, don't stop there. A diet of simple, whole, unprocessed plant-based foods provides all your nutritive needs. I agree with Susan:
Be smart! Skip the eggs and enjoy better health!
For more information:
(1) What's Wrong With Eggs? Article by Susan Levin, MS, RD
(2) Unscrambling the Truth About Eggs