Eggs for Easter
Happy Easter! Its Easter Monday today and eggs are in fashion. Okay, in Thailand we don't have the whole big Easter vacation with easter eggs and egg hunting, but its something I always liked as a child growing up in europe. We get to eat chocolate easter eggs and get our hands dirty painting them...ahh, those good old days.
What about eating eggs then? Are they good for you given that they are high in saturated fat and cholesterol (211mg versus daily recommendation of 300mg) ? According to nutrition data, a large egg has only 70 calories and are filled with lots of nutrients. Eggs are a good source of Riboflavin, Vitamin B12 and Phosphorus, and a very good source of Protein and Selenium. These nutrients are especially beneficial for you as they a good source of energy, help build up your immune system and also help your mental health. According to Harvard Health, "Eggs are also a good source of choline, which has been linked with preserving memory, and lutein and zeaxanthin, which may protect against vision loss."
The question still remains, should one continue eating eggs even though they are high cholesterol? Harvard Health recommends not eating more than one egg a day. They also mention that since most of the cholesterol is in the yolk, one can take it out when eating eggs. In addition, it is also interesting to note that "for most people, only a small amount of the cholesterol in food passes into the blood. Saturated and trans fats have much bigger effects on blood cholesterol levels."
For me, I think the best way to enjoy eating eggs is to enjoy it in moderation. This is a principal I try to apply to everything I eat and do. Too much of anything is never good...even money. Too much money can give you too much ego and power for your own good. :) Okay, so my take on eggs is to just have one 1 egg a day (don't over indulge yourself with 2-3 eggs) The benefits should outweigh the high cholesterol.
How to cook it? I think the healthiest way to eat eggs is to boil or to poach them. I personally put them in the microwave in a small bowl for around 30 seconds on medium and get a lovely runny yolk. If you cook them in butter or fry them in oil, then you are consuming more fat than you should! Eggs are good, but be aware of how you cook them!
Another great thing about eggs is that they are extremely satisfying and keep you feeling quite full :) Great if you want to lose weight!
What about eating eggs then? Are they good for you given that they are high in saturated fat and cholesterol (211mg versus daily recommendation of 300mg) ? According to nutrition data, a large egg has only 70 calories and are filled with lots of nutrients. Eggs are a good source of Riboflavin, Vitamin B12 and Phosphorus, and a very good source of Protein and Selenium. These nutrients are especially beneficial for you as they a good source of energy, help build up your immune system and also help your mental health. According to Harvard Health, "Eggs are also a good source of choline, which has been linked with preserving memory, and lutein and zeaxanthin, which may protect against vision loss."
The question still remains, should one continue eating eggs even though they are high cholesterol? Harvard Health recommends not eating more than one egg a day. They also mention that since most of the cholesterol is in the yolk, one can take it out when eating eggs. In addition, it is also interesting to note that "for most people, only a small amount of the cholesterol in food passes into the blood. Saturated and trans fats have much bigger effects on blood cholesterol levels."
For me, I think the best way to enjoy eating eggs is to enjoy it in moderation. This is a principal I try to apply to everything I eat and do. Too much of anything is never good...even money. Too much money can give you too much ego and power for your own good. :) Okay, so my take on eggs is to just have one 1 egg a day (don't over indulge yourself with 2-3 eggs) The benefits should outweigh the high cholesterol.
How to cook it? I think the healthiest way to eat eggs is to boil or to poach them. I personally put them in the microwave in a small bowl for around 30 seconds on medium and get a lovely runny yolk. If you cook them in butter or fry them in oil, then you are consuming more fat than you should! Eggs are good, but be aware of how you cook them!
Another great thing about eggs is that they are extremely satisfying and keep you feeling quite full :) Great if you want to lose weight!
i love eggs (and chicken for that matter) but the only thing would caution is the chemicals that go into the chickens now... haha.
ReplyDeleteif u have the inclination, there are some excellent books that deal quite a lot with nutrition and where our food comes from. it's strange most of the time we have no idea that nice lean chicken breast is a result of a chicken stuffed with weird growth chemicals.
the three i've read are "omnivore's dilemma", "in defense of food", and "eating animals".
my favorite is "eating animals" - written by a princeton guy who wanted to understand what to feed his new born kid. definitely check it out if you have time! it sounds a bit hardcore but it's actually a very nuanced look at how we enjoy eating animal corpses!
Thanks for your comment :) I will definitely check out your recommended books. I've been hearing a lot of stories about the hormones and chemicals they inject into chickens, but haven't really done much reading on it yet.
ReplyDeleteI've recently started eating organic chicken and eggs and feel that they are a lot tastier. I also like that the egg shells seem to be stronger. Now I'm worried about the fruits I'm eating...They seem to be filled with chemicals too. I've had apples and oranges in the fridge for over a month and they still look fresh!
i think self-education is the key! once we get started on this road, it's a fascinating one!!
ReplyDeletedefinitely....so much to learn :)
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