I love eggs.  Deviled, boiled, scrambled, with bacon, dipped in Paas egg coloring, you name it; I’ve never met an egg I didn’t like.  I’ve had issues with my cholesterol levels and worried that me and eggs would have to call it quits.  Thankfully, our resident nutrition brainboxes (Courtney and Nick) pointed me in the right direction and I found a wealth of knowledge saying “Hey, it’s OK to be an egg lover, we accept you no matter what!” 

For starters, take a look at this lil’ gem from Dr. Emily Kane’s blog.

Are EGGS good or bad?

September 15th, 2007

Q: I am trying to eat right and stay healthy, but should I include eggs in my diet or are they bad for me?

A: I am personally a great fan of eggs (including fish eggs), free-range of course.  They are a perfect protein, containing all eight essential amino acids.  They are replete with healthy, mono-unsaturated and essential fatty acids.  The fats in eggs are “emulsified” (broken down) in the liver by the lecithin provided by the very same egg.  This is why eggs do NOT raise “bad” cholesterol, contrary to popular opinion.

Lecithin helps prevent kidney and liver damage and slows aging. Lecithin is a precursor to the “feed and breed” (parasympathetic) moiety of our central nervous system function — in contrast to the adrenaline-driven “fight or flight” (sympathetic) response.  So, eggs can help bust stress.  Plus, eggs are one of the best natural sources of Vitamin D — your liquid sunshine and bone builder.  The health benefits of Vitamin D (way beyond just helping calcium absorption) are just beginning to be widely appreciated.  Vitamin D is currently being studied in oncology circles for its protective properties. Many common cancers (breast, prostate, colon, pancreas) occur disproportionately in folks with low Vitamin D levels (which should be 50 mL/mg on a blood test).

Eggs are high in sulfur, a major component of the detoxification systems in the liver.  Sulfur is not only an excellent detox agent (which is why high sulfur foods like eggs, garlic and onions help reduce pain from inflammatory conditions like arthritis) but sulfur is a good antioxidant as well.  One of the latest remedies for arthritis is egg membrane — the thin filmy stuff between the shell and the gooey part.  Egg whites contain natural anti-microbial properties to protect against possible infection of the chick embryo.  Old fashioned doctors used to slap egg whites on a wound to expedite healing.

Finally, please know that the best way to cook an egg is IN THE SHELL.  Ideally, you don’t want to oxidize the good fats in the egg by heating them while exposed to air.  A good old soft boiled egg (put it in cold water, bring to a boil and it’s perfectly cooked in three minutes at sea level) is an ideal breakfast, lunch, dieter’s dinner or snack.  Enjoy!

-James