Yolk, no yolk, eat them twice a day, avoid them completely? Eggs are one of the most nutritious, yet most hotly debated foods. But egg-actly just how many eggs (and which parts of them) should you be eating?
What’s in an egg?
A medium-sized egg contains 7g of complete protein for just 75 calories, making them one of the most potent natural sources of high-quality protein. Eggs are also rich in vitamin B6, vitamin B12, folate, selenium, zinc, choline, and good fats, making them a nutritious addition to your plate.
The debate around eggs largely comes from their cholesterol content, with each egg containing 186mg of cholesterol (stored in the egg yolk), which is approximately 60% of your daily RDI.
Should you eat eggs every day?
Common recommendations surround limiting your consumption to two to six egg yolks a week, and focusing on consuming the egg whites. However, several studies have shown that those who ate one to three whole eggs a day saw a ride in HDL (good) cholesterol levels, while their LDL (bad) cholesterol levels remained almost unchanged.
Most of us should be able to safely eat one to two whole eggs a day without a negative effect on blood cholesterol levels. However, if you have a history of high cholesterol, it may be best to limit yourself to just one yolk a day (e.g. one whole egg and two egg whites in an omelette with veggies).
The benefits of eating eggs
Here’s how eating eggs every day can benefit your health and wellbeing.
- Improve skin health: eggs contain selenium which can aid in protecting against skin cancer, sun damage and sun spots. Each egg contains around 50% of your RDI for selenium.
- Keep you feeling fuller for longer: the combination of protein and fat in whole eggs is perfect for keeping you satiated throughout the day.
- Can aid with weight loss: in addition to keeping you satiated, starting your morning with eggs can help control cravings throughout the day and support muscle mass and metabolism.
- Keep you energised throughout the day: the protein in eggs doesn’t cause your insulin or blood sugar to spike, supplying a steady flow of energy throughout the day. Eggs also contain the amino acid leucine, which helps the body utilise the energy provided by protein, as well as aiding in building and maintaining muscle.
How do you want your eggs?
Want to try (or continue) incorporating eggs into your daily diet? Here are some egg-cellent (sorry, we had to) ways to eat eggs:
- Scrambled with veggies, some salt, herbs and cracked pepper
- Poached on wholemeal or rye toast with half an avocado
- Hard boiled eggs sliced and added to a salad
- In shakshuka
- As part of a veggie and grain bowl
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