Eggcellent Eggs

Easter is just around the corner, so it’s only suiting this week to talk about eggs. Not the chocolate eggs brought by the Easter bunny mind you, but rather the old fashioned egg that’s laid by a hen. Eggs are one of those foods that often get a bad rep, when in fact; they are one of nature’s most nutritious foods.

On average, eggs have about 70 calories, and six grams of protein. Other nutrients eggs contain include, omega-3 fats, iron, vitamins A, D, E and B12, folate, selenium and antioxidants that are known to be good for the eyes, namely luetin and zeaxanthin. Eggs are one of the few foods that naturally contain vitamin D- a nutrient that many of us Newfoundlanders and Labradorians need more of, and actually fall short of in terms of dietary consumption. Don’t think you’ll get enough of this vitamin through the sun either, we have too much fog and live too far north for that! Unlike other foods where brown choices are often best (e.g. breads, rice, pasta), the color difference in white and brown eggs has nothing to do with nutrition. It’s actually due to the difference in ear color from the hens. If there are nutritional differences between varieties of eggs, it’s determined by the type of feed given to the hens. The omega-3 rich eggs you’ll find in the grocery store have been fed a special feed containing higher amounts of this essential fat.   

Canadian guidelines for infant feeding regarding eggs just recently changed and new scientific evidence tells us we can now introduce whole egg at six months of age, irrespective of a family history of allergies. (Previously it was thought that we should not give egg whites to babies until one year of age to reduce the risk of future allergy). It’s a good thing that eggs can be safely introduced at a younger age, as eggs are a source of choline, a B vitamin that plays a strong role in brain development and function. Obviously one specific population that are very susceptible to brain growth are children. One egg provides about one quarter of the adult daily requirement for choline, and over one half the daily requirement for kids. Another huge advantage to eggs for families is their affordability. Not only are they an economical source of protein and overall nutrition, are quick and easy to cook and versatile in cooking dishes for any meal of the day.  

Despite the nutrition and benefits of eggs, some people do avoid them for fear of their cholesterol content. The yolk is a good source of cholesterol, and contains almost a full day’s worth of the recommended daily maximum amount of 300 milligrams. But, if you've been avoiding eggs because of concerns of dietary cholesterol and heart disease, it's time to reconsider. The latest research shows that healthy adults can enjoy an egg every day without increasing their risk for heart disease. This is because dietary saturated, and especially trans fats significantly increase blood cholesterol levels more so than dietary cholesterol itself. Eggs are low in saturated fat and contain no trans fat. The dietary cholesterol from foods like eggs, increase both the healthy (HDL) and lousy (LDL) cholesterol in our bodies. It doesn’t significantly impact our ratio of LDL: HDL, which is one of the most important risk factors for heart disease. That being said, weekend breakfasts of fried eggs in bacon fat, with bacon, bologna and hashbrowns, well that might be a different story!

As seen in The Telegram March 25, 2013