The Controversial Egg: Is It Good For Your Health?

To eat or not eat the egg: that is the question I hear from so many women. And I am here to tell you, implore you, to celebrate the egg!

Let me just make this clear: eggs DO NOT CAUSE high cholesterol. I repeat: eggs do not cause high cholesterol. Besides consisting of a wealth of nutrients, eggs are portable, tasty, easy to snack on, quick to cook, and can be combined with any other food at any time of day!

So let’s get to the bottom of the nasty rumors about the egg, and talk about simple ways you can embrace this superfood in your diet for healthy meals and well-fueled workouts!

The History Behind Egg’s Bad Rap

In the 80s, we heard a lot of messaging that the egg causes heart conditions like elevated cholesterol. Yes, eggs do contain cholesterol, but we know that is not the reason almost 100 million Americans suffer from high cholesterol. 

Here we are 50 years later, and still you might be under the impression that the egg causes high cholesterol. It does not. In fact, most of the cholesterol in our bodies is made by our livers — it doesn't come from the cholesterol we eat. The liver is stimulated to make cholesterol primarily by saturated fat and trans fat in our diet, not dietary cholesterol. Other causes of high cholesterol are alcohol, smoking, sedentary lifestyle, and obesity. 

In other words, eggs aren’t causing higher rates of heart attacks, strokes, and other cardiovascular diseases; it’s a lot of the other stuff we eat with the egg: white toast, toppings on the toast, the hashbrowns, bacon, etc. 

Here are the facts. One large egg contains:

• 9% of the RDA of Vitamin B12

• 15% of the RDA of Vitamin B2

• 6% of the RDA of Vitamin A

• 7% of the RDA of Vitamin B5 

• 22% of the RDA of Selenium (helps breakdown fats and carbohydrates to turn into energy, critical to the manufacture of red blood cells, and sex and stress-related hormones produced in the adrenal glands)

Eggs contain almost every vitamin and mineral required by the human body including calcium, iron, potassium, zinc, manganese, vitamin E, folate, and many more. Even better for women who want to rock their bodies and supercharge their days, one large egg contains only 77 calories with 6 grams of quality protein, 5 grams of fat, and trace amounts of carbohydrates. It’s truly a super food.

*News flash: the RCA, or Recommended Daily Allowance, DOES NOT mean if you consume 100% of what they recommend you will live a healthy, amazing life. Far from it. The RDA is the MINIMUM we need to lower our risks of illnesses and sickness. This is a very different consideration. 

Most of the nutrients are contained in the yolk. The egg white contains only protein and a lot of water. Do not skip the yolk, despite decades of “egg white” conditioning you may have heard!

So now that I’ve debunked the “egg causes high cholesterol" myth, let’s talk about cholesterol. It is a substance that is the building block of your cell membranes (the area that separates your cells from the outside environment). Cholesterol helps your body create bile, many hormones, and the essential vitamin D. You need cholesterol. But too much of it in your blood can raise your risk of heart disease. So, know your numbers before you head into your annual exam to chat with your provider about your cholesterol, and bring at least three questions with you.

Tips for Embracing More Eggs in Your Diet

If we are to add eggs to our diet, how can we make them a tad more interesting? You can combine the egg with the following for big flavor:

• Small amount of parmesan cheese

• Chopped veggies, including potatoes

• Salsa, or

• Pesto

With this bit of preparation, you’ll have the perfect elixir for a well-fueled day. 

Just like you want your workouts to be efficient, you want your meals to be time-effective, too. So think about other super foods you can combine with your eggs to provide a powerful punch of macronutrients (protein, fat, and carbs), things like avocados, sourdough (which I talked about last month!), spinach, and mushrooms.

Watch me fix one of my favorite breakfast meals for midlife women on YouTube:

With a little prep ahead of time, hard-boiled eggs are a powerful elixir for a well-fueled day, even if you are constantly on the go. You can even take out the yoke and replace it with guacamole for a great snack!

The egg has been called “the perfect food” by many. Contrary to what you may have heard, the egg is GOOD for you, and it is a versatile way to fuel your workouts and reach your weight loss goals this year.

So this is my plea for you to ditch the muffin and scramble the egg! 

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