Eggs, whether boiled, poached, or scrambled, are a great way to start your day. These little orbs are a great source of protein and amino acids.
In fact, they are one of the few foods with complete proteins, that is, they contain proper proportions of all nine essential amino acids required by the body. They are also packed with numerous vitamins and minerals including vitamins A, B12, D, and E, and folate, selenium, choline, and others.
Eggs have gained a bad reputation lately due to the high cholesterol content in the yellow yolks. However, they do not significantly increase the level of low-density lipoproteins (LDL), the “bad” cholesterol.
Rather it is saturated and trans fats in your food, not dietary cholesterol, that have the greatest impact on blood cholesterol levels and risk of developing heart disease.
Eggs should not prove unhealthy if you consume them in moderation. If you have cardiovascular disease, restrict your intake to two to three yolks per week.
Here are the top 12 health benefits of eggs.
1. Boosts Brain Power
Being rich in omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins B12 and D, and choline, eggs are excellent for brain health. Choline is an essential nutrient that plays an important role in several metabolic pathways and acts as a neurotransmitter. It improves your memory and cognitive power.
Vitamin B12 is essential for the proper functioning of the brain. Research has shown that a lack of this nutrient may lead to brain shrinkage, which is a predecessor to Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.
According to the USDA National Nutrient Database, one whole egg (hard-boiled) contains about 1.11 mcg of vitamin B12 which is 18.5% of the total daily requirement of this vitamin.
Omega-3 fatty acids, too, help increase brain volume. Vitamin D, which is found in very few foods, also improves brain function because it works as a modulator in brain development.
2. Aids in Maintaining Healthy Weight
Having eggs for breakfast has been a common practice since time immemorial. This tradition can help maintain body weight because in addition to providing energy, eggs make you feel fuller. The protein in eggs provides sustained energy as it does not simply cause a surge in your blood sugar levels that leads to a “crash” later.
Furthermore, a study published in the journal Network Health Dietitian found that there are specific proteins in eggs that help suppress hunger better than other types of proteins. Thus, eggs can help you limit your calorie intake throughout the day and support weight loss efforts.
3. Protects Eye Health
Eggs are a good source of lutein and zeaxanthin. Research has shown that these carotenoids are highly beneficial in preventing macular degeneration and reducing the risk of developing cataracts.
The antioxidant effects of these compounds help strengthen your retinas and protect your eyes from free radical damage and the sun’s ultraviolet radiation. Lutein is also found in green leafy vegetables, but scientists believe that the body absorbs it better from eggs.
4. Facilitates Muscle Building
Eggs are considered an excellent food for muscle building because they are high in protein, which is regarded as the building block of muscles. Egg whites have a protein called albumin that encourages more protein absorption in your body and facilitates muscle growth.
The practice of eating raw or lightly cooked eggs to build better muscles is usually not recommended as it can cause food poisoning due to salmonella bacteria. To reduce this risk, opt for pasteurized and cooked eggs. Having hard-boiled eggs is also useful in this regard. In addition, it they help you get all the nutritional benefits of this exceptional superfood.
5. Improves Your Mood
Eggs, being rich in vitamin B12, can help improve your mood and keep stress at bay. They also contain other B vitamins such as vitamin B6 and folate that promote mental and emotional well-being.
In addition, egg yolks are a good source of lecithin, which works as a mood stabilizer. Eggs are also believed to help treat depression due to their high levels of the amino acids methionine and cysteine. Interestingly, scrambled eggs are considered one of the best comfort foods.
6. Encourages Healthy Hair and Nails
Hair and nails are made up of proteins, so the high protein content in eggs can help keep them healthy. To make your hair grow faster, you can even apply egg hair masks.
For instance, you can mix a tablespoon of olive oil in a raw egg, apply it on your hair and cover it with a shower cap. After 30 minutes, rinse off the hair mask and shampoo your hair to get soft, silky, and healthy hair. Use it two to three times a month.
7. Lowers the Risk of Cancer
cancer virus
A study by researchers at the University of Alberta suggests that eggs have antioxidant properties that tend to lower the risk of developing cancer and prevent cardiovascular disease.
In particular, egg yolks contain two amino acids, tryptophan and tyrosine, that have antioxidant properties. Frying or boiling eggs, however, reduces these properties.
A study published in The Journal of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology also indicates that consuming eggs can reduce the risk of breast cancer by 24% because they contain choline that is required for normal cell functioning.
8. Help with Healthy Pregnancy
Eggs are considered a healthy food to eat during pregnancy. In addition to providing adequate nutrition, they help lower the unborn child’s risk of mental health problems and chronic illnesses later in life.
These benefits are chiefly attributed to choline, a nutrient present in eggs, meats, beans, nuts, and other protein-rich foods.
Choline plays a critical role in fetal brain development and helps prevent birth defects. Two eggs provide almost half the recommended daily amount required by pregnant and breastfeeding women. Be sure not to eat raw or undercooked eggs, though.
9. Strengthens Bones
Eggs help keep your bones and teeth strong because they contain phosphorus, vitamin D, and calcium. It is a known fact that calcium is good for maintaining healthy bones. But did you know that vitamin D promotes the absorption of calcium in the gut?
It also encourages bone growth and a deficiency of this vitamin can even sped up the aging of bones. Phosphorus, too, works with calcium to promote strong bones and is necessary for proper bone density.
10. Clears Acne
acne on the face of a girl
Egg whites can be used in face masks to absorb excess oil from your skin, tighten your skin, and shrink the pores. They help heal acne and fade acne scars and blemishes.
11.Eggs Are Incredibly Nutritious
Eggs are among the most nutritious foods on the planet.
A whole egg contains all the nutrients required to turn a single cell into a baby chicken.
A single large boiled egg contains:
Vitamin A: 6% of the RDA.
Folate: 5% of the RDA.
Vitamin B5: 7% of the RDA.
Vitamin B12: 9% of the RDA.
Vitamin B2: 15% of the RDA.
Phosphorus: 9% of the RDA.
Selenium: 22% of the RDA.
Eggs also contain decent amounts of Vitamin D, Vitamin E, Vitamin K, Vitamin B6, Calcium and Zinc.
This is coming with 77 calories, 6 grams of protein and 5 grams of healthy fats.
Eggs also contain various other trace nutrients that are important for health.
Reall eggs are pretty much the perfect food, they contain a little bit of almost every nutrient we need.
If you can get your hands on pastured or Omega-3 enriched eggs, then these are even better. They have more Omega-3s and are much higher in Vitamin A and E (2, 3).
Bottom Line: Whole eggs are among the most nutritious foods on the planet, containing a little bit of almost every nutrient we need. Omega-3 enriched and/or pastured eggs are even healthier.
12.Eggs Are High in Cholesterol, But They Don’t Adversely Affect Blood Cholesterol
Egg
It is true that eggs are high in cholesterol.
In fact, a single egg contains 212 mg, which is over half of the recommended daily intake of 300 mg.
However it’s important to keep in mind that cholesterol in the diet doesn’t necessarily raise cholesterol in the blood (4, 5).
The liver actually produces large amounts of cholesterol every single day. When we eat more eggs, the liver just produces less cholesterol instead, so it evens out (6, 7).
The response to egg consumption varies between individual (8):
In 70% of people, eggs don’t raise cholesterol at all.
In the other 30% (termed “hyper responders”), eggs can mildly raise Total and LDL cholesterol.
However, as I will outline later in the article, the situation is a bit more complicated than that and these changes are actually beneficial.
For example, you can simply whisk an egg white, spread it on your face, and cover with pieces of tissue paper. Leave it on for about 10 to 20 minutes. Then, remove the tissue paper and wash off the remaining substance with lukewarm water.
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