Search
logo
Search
The article is in preview mode

Eating eggs or eliminating them from your diet?

Homepage Articles Eating eggs or eliminating them from your diet?

Eating eggs or eliminating them from your diet?

Eggs have been an integral part of the diet for centuries, not only as a type of food, but also as a symbol of fertility and new life. Today, in an era of increased health awareness, many people are wondering if eating eggs is healthy.

Table of Contents

1. The nutritional values

Eggs are one of the most nutritious food products available on the market. They are a rich source of protein and therefore of amino acids, which are not only essential for building muscle tissue but also play a key role in many metabolic processes. It is worth noting that egg protein has a high biological value, which means that it contains all the essential amino acid that the body is unable to synthesize on its own. Eggs also are a great source of fatty acid, which also accounts for about 32% of their mass, more than 99% of which is found in eggs containing both fatty and non-fatty acids in the body's body.

2. Do eggs raise your cholesterol?

According to one of the most common statements about eggs, their intake leads to an increase in blood cholesterol levels and an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. Research does support this claim, but the results are not so clear. First of all, with moderate egg intake by healthy people (1 egg per day) the increase in total and so-called bad cholesterol levels is small and really insignificant.

3. Are dark-skinned eggs any more valuable?

It is often thought that the dark shell of the egg indicates a free-ranging chicken that feeds better, hence such eggs contain more nutritional values than the white shell. There is no evidence for this the shell color depends only on the age, breed of the chicken and gene expression, and has no relationship to the nutrition value (D. R. Jones et al. 2010).

4. Is it better to eat raw eggs?

Many people claim that raw eggs are healthier because heat treatment negatively affects the amount of vitamins and minerals they contain. However, this is a myth, and research shows that it is quite the opposite. These eggs that are heat treated have a higher nutritional value. The egg yolk contains m. e. Biotin, which is essential for keratine synthesis of important hair and nail polishes. In the raw protein, however, there is a protein called biotin, a protein that contains bacteria in the fine intestine, which makes it more resistant to infection.

5. Is it even true that children should not eat eggs?

It is untrue to say that children should not eat eggs. According to global recommendations, this product can be introduced into the diet of infants as early as 6 months of age. It is a great source of protein and vitamins and minerals that are essential for the proper growth and development of the baby. Indeed, chicken egg protein is an ingredient that is relatively often an allergic reaction to atopic dermatitis in infants.

6. Is that even how many eggs a week you can eat?

However, it should be noted that people with food intolerance or egg protein allergy and people with type 2 diabetes, obesity or hypercholesterolemia may require an individual approach, and the safe number of eggs for them may be much lower (M. Myers, C. H. S. Ruxton).
Source

Cardoso M.J. et al., Salmonella in eggs: From shopping to consumption-A review providing an evidence-based analysis of risk factors, „Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food Safety” 2021, 20(3), 2716–2741.
Drouin-Chartier J.P. et al., Egg consumption and risk of cardiovascular disease: three large prospective US cohort studies, systematic review, and updated meta-analysis, „The BMJ” 2020, 365, 513.
Evenepoel P. et al., Digestibility of cooked and raw egg protein in humans as assessed by stable isotope techniques, „Journal of Nutrition” 1998, 128(10), 1716–1722.
Jones D.R. et al., Physical quality and composition of retail shell eggs, „Poultry Science” 2010, 89(3), 582–587.
Kühn J. et al., Free-range farming: a natural alternative to produce vitamin D-enriched eggs, „Nutrition” 2014, 30(4), 481–484.
Li M.Y. et al., Association between Egg Consumption and Cholesterol Concentration: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials, „Nutrients” 2020, 12(7), 1995.
Myers M., Ruxton C.H.S., Eggs: Healthy or Risky? A Review of Evidence from High Quality Studies on Hen's Eggs, „Nutrients” 2023, 15(12), 2657.
Norwitz N.G. et al., Case Report: Hypercholesterolemia "Lean Mass Hyper-Responder" Phenotype Presents in the Context of a Low Saturated Fat Carbohydrate-Restricted Diet, „Frontiers in Endocrinology” 2022, 13, 830325.
Szajewska H. et al., Zasady żywienia zdrowych niemowląt. Zalecenia PTGHiŻD, „Pediatria” 2014, 11(3), 321–338.