By: Gina Ostarly

Do a Google search of “power foods,” or “top 10 foods,” or even “foods you should include in your diet” and the excellent egg is sure to make this “A” list! Eggs are nominated time and time again to be bankable movie stars in the roles of weight management, muscle strength, healthy pregnancy, brain function, eye health and more. So, why are so many of us throwing half of this star-quality food item away?
  
For nearly three decades, media-led hype and lack of “clinical” studies have created an unwarranted bad reputation and a generation of “egg yolk phobics.”

No shell game: just facts, PLEASE
Humans have enjoyed eating eggs dating back to the Neolithic age. Back then they had to rob a nest. Today it’s as easy as picking up a carton at the grocery store. While no food is “perfect,” scientific research shows that eggs are part of a healthy, nutritious diet.
  
My kids have a standing joke: “Even when there is no food in the house, we can always count on Mom to have eggs!” My redundant reply is “what more do you want? They are pre-packaged and versatile! Scrambled eggs, egg omelettes, hard boiled, poached, egg salad, deviled, sunny side up, what’s the problem? A dozen eggs and you’re set for a meal.”
  
One 70-calorie egg delivers more than a dozen essential nutrients in varying amounts and an exceptionally high protein count. Half of that high-quality protein is found in the yolk. The only source of protein higher in quality than eggs is a mother’s breast milk.
  
The most easily digestible natural protein source is whole eggs. Our body can use 94 percent of an egg’s protein. That’s why you saw Rocky  Balboa gulping raw eggs in his first movie. Not saying you’re going to win a world championship that way, but eggs are the undisputed champion of protein.
  
Eggs are an excellent source of choline, riboflavin, folate, lutein, zeaxanthin and vitamin D. The yolk also contains healthy monosaturated and polyunsaturated fats. The high proportion of nutrients to calories qualifies the egg as a nutrient dense food.
  
Throwing away the yolks makes as much sense as eating the shells. There are better ways to get calcium than crunching on egg shells.
 
Seeing Red About the Yellow
What’s all the carping about cholesterol? I’ll let you scramble through the facts.
  
Aren’t the yolks unhealthy because they are high in cholesterol? Eggs, if eaten whole, do contain substantial amounts of cholesterol. On average, a large egg contains 185 mg of cholesterol. As far as foods go, that’s quite a bit. However it is generally accepted that the cholesterol in foods does not seriously skyrocket blood cholesterol levels. For most people, only a small amount of the cholesterol in food actually passes into the blood.
  
Besides, eggs are part of a healthy diet. Not the entire diet. That’s the first myth to be fried.
  
Cholesterol is a deadly poison that quickly clogs our arteries, right? That’s what all the drug commercials on TV seem to tell us. It is actually a soft, waxy substance produced by the liver. Cholesterol is found among the lipids (fats) in the bloodstream and in all the body’s cells. It’s an important part of a healthy body because it’s used to form cell membranes, some hormones and is needed for other functions.
   
If you didn’t have any cholesterol in your body, you would die. Another myth gets cracked.
  
Am I suggesting its OK to eat a dozen eggs every day? No. Moderation is always key. It’s also wrong to stuff your face with only the “healthiest” food you can think of. Balance, moderation and variety are always healthiest.
  
Like anything else, too much of a good thing can be bad. But that’s also true of any food or supplement you can dream up. Even too much water is bad. Too much oxygen will kill you.
  
People who consumed two eggs each day along with a low-fat diet did not show signs of increased blood cholesterol levels, according to a statistical analysis carried out by Dr. Wanda Howell and colleagues at the University of Arizona. Even the American Heart Association has changed its tune, and gives a thumbs up for those with normal cholesterol levels. Other experts agree.
 
“When you eat a food that contains a high amount of dietary cholesterol such as eggs, your body down-regulates its internal production of cholesterol to balance things out. On the other hand, if you don’t eat enough cholesterol, your body simply produces more since cholesterol has tons of important functions in the body,” says Mike Geary, a certified nutrition specialist and certified personal trainer and author.
  
For the smaller population who may not have an adequate feedback system, limiting dietary cholesterol consumption is advised.
 
Myth or Misinformed?
High cholesterol foods tend to be high in saturated fat or trans fats, but the egg served solo is not one of them. One egg has 5 grams of fat (about 8 percent of daily value), of which only 1.5 grams is saturated.
  
Your concern should be with all the high fat foods that accompany the “not guilty” egg. Greasy bacon, sausage and cheeses are what wreak havoc on blood cholesterol and increase risk of heart disease.
  
Chances are if you have been eating a low fat diet that includes egg yolks, you are quite healthy! Reminds me of when my overweight clients ask me if they can have fruit because of the sugars. I laugh and ask them “do you really think you gained weight from eating blueberries?”
  
Egg yolks didn’t raise your cholesterol, weight and increase your risk of a heart attack. But a Bacon, Egg & Cheese Biscuit from McDonald’s, on the other hand, possibly did. That Mickey D’s goodie injects a whopping 11 grams of saturated fat, 1,360 milligrams of sodium and 450 calories into your system! It gets worse – the Big Breakfast with Hotcakes is over 1,100 calories! Not the way to start your day.

Bottom Line?
“So how,” you ask, “can I have my cake and eat it to?” Let’s do some simple math.
  
Here’s the egg white vs. egg yolk comparison:

    3 whole large eggs: 231 calories, 18 g protein, 15 g fat
    5 egg whites and 1 whole egg: 162 calories, 26 g protein, 5 g fat

  
Adding a whole egg to the egg whites is good because we keep the health benefits of the yolk. And that combination has fewer calories, more protein and less fat. Besides, egg yolks taste good!
  
So you see, there is no reason to crack up over eating the yolks. Being an egghead can be cool! MS&F