By Dr Harold Gunatillake - Health Writer
We were all deprived of eating eggs by nutritionists and researchers in the past, and a whole generation felt not to eat eggs because they were told that an egg is a ‘ball of cholesterol’ and would increase your cholesterol numbers in your blood to cause cardio-vascular disease. It was the same story with coconut oil because of the saturated fat contained in them and the fear that it will cause heart disease.
Today, we know that eating eggs do not influence the serum cholesterol numbers, and you could enjoy two eggs a day with no guilt. Your cholesterol levels are more influenced by the saturated and trans-fat you eat in such food. Studies show that eggs consistently raise HDL (the good) cholesterol
New research has shown that eating an egg a day may protect against cardiovascular disease, according to a study published online May 21 by the journal Heart. Researchers found that people who ate one egg every morning had an 18% lower risk of dying from cardiovascular disease and a 28% lower risk of having a haemorrhagic stroke, compared with people who did not eat eggs.
This study was on more than 400,000 adults ages between 30 to 79. All participants were from 10 survey sites in China. The participants were given eggs to eat and were traced their health for nearly nine years using registries and other methods.
So, there you are- you can eat at least one egg with breakfast every morning, and your risk of developing cardiovascular disease, ischemic heart disease, heart attacks and related events, haemorrhagic stroke and ischemic stroke are far more less than those who don’t eat eggs. (ref: Harvard Women’s Health Watch)
Eggs contain good quality protein and are a good source of healthy fats including omeg-3 fats. You can eat up to six or seven eggs each week. Eating omega-3 enriched eggs can lower your blood triglycerides. A single medium sized egg contains 186 mg of cholesterol, which is 62% of the recommended daily intake.
Leave out the bacon and restrict your butter. Always, eat whole meal bread and avoid eating white bread though tastier.
The healthiest way to eat eggs is to boil, poach or scramble them using low fat milk. A health breakfast would be making a three-egg omelette with capsicum, spinach and mushroom and eat on a slice of whole meal bread.
Fortunately, Sri Lankans can now eat wholemeal grainy bread as they are available in the super-markets, but unfortunately, they are double the price of white bread and much smaller in size.
Can you eat scrambled eggs every day?
Yes, is the answer. You could include three eggs scrambled per day.
Eggs help to make steroid hormone testosterone in men, estrogen in women and cortisol a hormone secreted in your body during times of stress.
Eggs are good for your eyes
Eggs contain lutein and zeaxanthin helps to reduce your risk of eye diseases like macular degeneration and cataracts.
Bottom line: If an egg contains the ingredients and nutrients to give a new life, why not enjoy and be lively.
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