Submitted by support on Tue, 04/24/2012 - 01:45
EGGS: good for nutrients, weight loss, muscle building – but cholesterol?? (click here for more information)
This past week, I heard two people claim that they shouldn’t eat eggs because of the cholesterol. Unfortunately, this is a huge misunderstanding.
Eggs are a wonderful complete protien source, as well as, a source for other nutrients. 33-60% of the weight of an egg is due to the whites that are a source for about 10% of the protein (depends on the size of the egg). Egg protien includes 20 proteogenic amino acids!! Protien is found in whites and yolks.
In addition, eggs provide a number of other nutrients: vitamins, minerals, etc. See the chart below for a list.
While eggs were historically identified as bad because of their cholesterol levels; we now understand that cholesterol does not cause heart problems but rather are the “firemen at the fire” not “causing the fire”. Further, one study indicates that we don’t absorb a lot of the cholesterol in eggs.
- http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0014480000923396
- http://www.reuters.com/article/2010/02/04/us-fat-heart-idUSTRE6134102010...
- http://www.ajcn.org/content/early/2010/01/13/ajcn.2009.27725.abstract
- http://www.lancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(98)85049-6/fulltext
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http://www.drbriffa.com/2010/11/15/recent-review-on-statins-ignores-body-of-evidence-that-suggests-these-drugs-dont-work-through-cholesterol-reduction/
The following chart is from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eggs_(food)#Nutritional_value
Chicken egg, whole, hard-boiled: Nutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz)
- Energy
- 647 kJ (155 kcal)
- Carbohydrates
- 1.12 g
- Fat
- 10.6 g
- Protein
- 12.6 g
- - Tryptophan
- 0.153 g
- - Threonine
- 0.604 g
- - Isoleucine
- 0.686 g
- - Leucine
- 1.075 g
- - Lysine
- 0.904 g
- - Methionine
- 0.392 g
- - Cystine
- 0.292 g
- - Phenylalanine
- 0.668 g
- - Tyrosine
- 0.513 g
- - Valine
- 0.767 g
- - Arginine
- 0.755 g
- - Histidine
- 0.298 g
- - Alanine
- 0.700 g
- - Aspartic acid
- 1.264 g
- - Glutamic acid
- 1.644 g
- - Glycine
- 0.423 g
- - Proline
- 0.501 g
- - Serine
- 0.936 g
- Water
- 75 g
Vitamins:
- Vitamin A equiv.
- 140 μg (16%)
- Thiamine (Vit. B1)
- 0.066 mg (5%)
- Riboflavin (Vit. B2)
- 0.5 mg (33%)
- Pantothenic acid (B5)
- 1.4 mg (28%)
- Folate (Vit. B9)
- 44 μg (11%)
Minerals:
- Calcium
- 50 mg (5%)
- Iron
- 1.2 mg (10%)
- Magnesium
- 10 mg (3%)
- Phosphorus
- 172 mg (25%)
- Potassium
- 126 mg (3%)
- Zinc
- 1.0 mg (10%)
- Choline
- 225 mg
- Cholesterol
- 424 mg
- For edible portion only. Refuse: 12% (shell). One large egg is 50 grams.
- Percentages are relative to US recommendations for adults.
- Source: USDA Nutrient database
That’s a lot of nutrient for one large egg. The problem here, is that it doesn’t tell us whether it is free run or not.
Dr Sear’s claims that his free-run eggs have these comparative values:
- • 65% fewer carbs than a regular egg
- • 10% more protein
- • 20% more iron
- • 72% more vitamin A
- • 211% more of the vision-sharpening carotenoid called lutein and zeaxanthin
- • 319% more healthy omega-3s
- • 1,664% more calcium2
• https://mail.google.com/mail/?hl=en&shva=1#all/1313c432394241a0
Numerous studies show that people who eat eggs loose more weight – probably because of all the protein. Dhurandhar N. Vander Wal J, Currier N, Khosla P, Gupta A. Egg breakfast enhances weight loss. The FASEB Journal. 2007;21:538.1. 2007.
And then there are the muscle builders – eggs and proteins again: “ Eggs contain about 6 grams of high quality protein, so high that it is used as the standard by which other foods are measured. Eggs are also a rich source of vitamins, including A, E and K and a range of B vitamins such as B12 (energy), riboflavin and folic acid. Eggs also contain all eight essential amino acids needed for optimal muscle recovery and building valuable minerals like calcium, zinc and iron.” http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/eggs.htm
Eggs contain cholesterol but it is generally accepted that dietary cholesterol does not raise blood cholesterol levels. Eggs are easily digested and absorbed and are extremely useful in ensuring a balanced diet for us bodybuilders.
Eggs have no significant carbohydrate content, therefore no effect on blood sugar levels. GI (Glycemic index) value of eggs is zero.
All in all, I would suggest that eggs are a pretty good source of nutrients that we should keep in our diet.
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