Over 80 billion eggs are consumed in US alone. It is a staple breakfast source for many people and act as an important ingredient for many foods. The highest per capita egg consumption was in 1945 which was about 400 eggs per person, it means that each American ate about 400 plus eggs. Egg consumption was on a 46-year downward slide until the 1990's. Then it became increasingly popular. Egg yolks has most of the time been demonised because they're high in cholesterol, but is the cholesterol really that bad for you?
What Does Egg Contain
The Albumen
The albumen is the white part of the egg and is mostly made of water and protein. It contains the anti-nutrient called avidin which is a protein that can bind certain B-vitamins, such as biotin, and thus prevent their absorption. Egg white contains anti-nutrients known as avidin, which seems to be destroyed when it is heated. Hence, it is necessary to always cook egg, especially egg whites before consuming it to avoid possible nutrient loss.
The Yolk
The yolk is mostly made of fatty acids, cholesterol, and fat-soluble nutrients. Egg yolks have always had a share of hate for it. The main concern for egg yolk is its cholesterol, which has been labelled as bad for you as it causes cardiovascular diseases. But don’t forget that egg yolks have many important nutrients like Vitamin A, D, K, E, Vitamin B5,6,9,12, thiamine, calcium, copper, manganese, iron, phosphorus, zinc, omega 3, Choline and leucine.
Yolks also contains high amount of carotenoids, mostly zeaxanthin and lutein that are capable of growing carotenoid concentrations in both plasma and specific tissues such as the eyes. Dietary carotenoids are believed to provide health benefits in decreasing the risk of eye disease and certain cancers.
Yolks are among the richest sources of choline which is a macronutrient that's important for liver function, normal brain development, nerve function, muscle movement, supporting energy levels and maintaining a healthy metabolism. It is used for its cognitive boosting effect or for improving liver health by reducing fatty liver build-up. Egg yolk may have less protein than the albumen but it has high level of the essential amino acid known as leucine. Leucine is BCAA which has many health benefits and is cheaper than other BCAA supplements in the market.
Cholesterol
Cholesterol is a fat-like substance present in all our cells. It serves many functions, and are heavily linked with our hormones like cortisol, DHEA, testosterone. Cholesterol is transported through the body by two carriers: low-density lipoproteins often called as “bad cholesterol” and high-density lipoproteins often called as “good cholesterol”. The prescribed or daily recommendation of dietary cholesterol for the normal healthy individual is around 300 milligrams every day with under seven percent of calories coming from saturated fat, according to the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada. Egg yolk contains 186 mg of cholesterol or 62% of the daily recommended amount per day. But the most important thing we don’t know is when we eat more cholesterol our body will produce less of its own and conversely if we eat less our body will produce more. This was test to an extreme when an 85-year-old man ate 25 whole eggs per day without any effect in his cholesterol levels. Cholesterol has been known to form crystals that can trigger an inflammatory response that may promote atherosclerosis.
Will egg increases cholesterol?
Increase in cholesterol due to egg largely depends on your genetics. Unless you are following a poor diet consuming egg don’t seem to increase the risk of heart disease. Increase in cholesterol has been seen in only few of healthy people. Dietary cholesterol seems to increase LDL more when the diet is high in carbohydrate and low in fat.
Cardiovascular disease & Diabetes
Observational examinations in moderately old Japanese people and individual on a Mediterranean diet found no connection between consumption of egg and risk of cardiovascular disease. Another observational study found no increase in the risk of stroke or coronary artery disease in people consuming 1–6 eggs per week, whereas more than 6 eggs per week seemed to increase the risk of coronary artery disease only in diabetics. In controlled trials, whether in healthy people or in people suffering from diabetes or hyperlipidaemia, egg consumption was not associated with an increase in risk markers for cardiovascular health, insulin sensitivity, or blood glucose. There is some evidence which may suggest a connection between egg consumption and occurrence of heart disease in diabetics and also propose a link between egg consumption and the danger of developing diabetes. In one study, eggs in the diet from rarely to frequently didn’t appear to be associated with an increased risk of developing diabetes, but other studies noted a positive association, with the controls being education, family history of diabetes, and standard biomarkers for disease states for example, plasma triglycerides.
Should we consume egg
Eggs are considered to be high in cholesterol, however the impact of consumption of egg on blood cholesterol is negligible when associated with the effect of saturated fats and trans fats. Most healthy individuals can eat up to six eggs every week with no rise in heart disease. Consuming whole eggs in limited amount is considered to be safe and healthy except those with CVD risk, type 2 diabetes and a bad diet. They may have disadvantages depending on how much you consume and your state of health, but in general egg consumption is safe.
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