Eggs are safe to eat

 

Egg yolks contain a rich array of essential vitamins and minerals, particularly vitamins A, D, E, B12 and K, riboflavin, folate and iron, while the whites are a great source of low-calorie protein. The nutrients in eggs also have some interesting specific benefits. For example, a new study found that the Vitamin D in egg yolks might be particularly good for diabetics. People with diabetes often have Vitamin D deficiencies, and the form of Vitamin D in eggs could be particularly beneficial. Apart from this eggs contain Omega 3 fats and antioxidants.

The egg’s tarnished reputation comes from the cholesterol the yolk contains. I early seventies, the American Heart Association began urging us to cut down on our egg consumption as a means of protecting against heart disease, which is associated with increased cholesterol levels. Then, in 2000, the AHA revised its dietary guidelines and gave healthy adults the green light to enjoy eggs once again. The AHA's guidelines now allow an egg a day for healthy adults while still advising a total daily cholesterol limit of 300 mg.

What is cholesterol?

Cholesterol is a type of lipid molecule, and is biosynthesized by all animal cells, because it is an essential structural component of all animal cell membranes; essential to maintain both membrane structural integrity and fluidity. Cholesterol enables animal cells to dispense with a cell wall, thereby allowing animal cells to change shape rapidly and animals to move.

In addition to its importance for animal cell structure, cholesterol also serves as a precursor for the biosynthesis of steroid hormones, bile acid, and vitamin D. Cholesterol is the principal sterol synthesized by all animals. In vertebrates, hepatic cells typically produce the greatest amounts.

A human male weighing 68 kg normally synthesizes about 1,000 mg per day, and his body contains about 35000 mg, mostly contained within the cell membranes. Most ingested cholesterol is esterified, and esterified cholesterol is poorly absorbed. The body also compensates for any absorption of additional cholesterol by reducing cholesterol synthesis. For these reasons, cholesterol in food, seven to ten hours after ingestion, has little, if any effect on concentrations of cholesterol in the blood. Cholesterol is recycled in the body. The liver excretes it in a non-esterified form (via bile) into the digestive tract. Typically, about 50% of the excreted cholesterol is reabsorbed by the small intestine back into the bloodstream.

The liver excretes cholesterol into biliary fluids, which is then stored in the gallbladder. Bile contains bile salts, which solubilize fats in the digestive tract and aid in the intestinal absorption of fat molecules as well as the fat-soluble vitamins, A, D, E, and K. Within cells, cholesterol is also a precursor molecule for several biochemical pathways. For example, it is the precursor molecule for the synthesis of vitamin D and all steroid hormones, including the adrenal gland hormones cortisol and aldosterone, as well as the sex hormones progesterone, estrogens, and testosterone, and their derivatives.

Major dietary sources of cholesterol include cheese, egg yolks, beef, pork, poultry, fish, and shrimp. Human breast milk also contains significant quantities of cholesterol.

Egg Facts

Normal size egg may weigh about 50 grams, which gives 75 calories, 150mg cholesterol, 65 mg sodium, 62 mg potassium, 1 gm Carbohydrates and 6 gm proteins. Apart from this it gives 5% of daily requirement of Vitamin A, 11% of Vitamin D, 10% of Vitamin B12, 3% of Vitamin B6, 3% of calcium, 4% of iron and 1% of magnesium. Per cent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs. An egg contains about 5 grams of fat which may be in the form of 1.5 gm of saturated fat, 0.7 gm of polyunsaturated fat and 2.8 gm of monounsaturated fat.

The egg is a powerhouse of disease-fighting nutrients like lutein and zeaxanthin. These carotenoids may reduce the risk of age-related macular degeneration, the leading cause of blindness in older adults. And brain development and memory may be enhanced by the choline content of eggs.

Heart diseases and cholesterol

When scientists learned that high blood cholesterol was associated with heart disease, foods high in cholesterol logically became suspect. But after 25 years of study, it has become evident that cholesterol in food is not the culprit. But saturated fat has a much bigger effect on blood cholesterol. Full-fat dairy products and fatty meats are examples of foods that are loaded with saturated fat and which trigger the body to produce cholesterol. An egg contains as low as 1.5 grams of saturated fat whereas 50 grams of chicken is loaded with 2 gms of saturated fat and 50 gms beef with 3gms of saturated fat.

How much to eat

You can eat up to 6 eggs each week. That could be 1 egg most days of the week, or a serve of eggs (2 eggs) in 2 or 3 meals a week.