Millions of eggs will be eaten this Easter and Passover. Their health effects have grown to be feared, but eggs are among the most perfect natural foods on the planet.
One hen can produce a strong yet delicate "new life" about every 24 hours. One hard-cooked egg contains about 80 calories of energy plus 6 grams of the world's highest quality protein. An egg also contains calcium, vitamin B12 (important for nerve and brain function), and vitamin A (nourishment for eyes and the immune system).
And eggs are one of the few natural food sources of vitamin D — the "sunshine vitamin." Eggs are low in fat — only about 5 grams per egg. And most of this fat is the healthful mono- and poly-unsaturated fat. Egg yolks are yellow because of a pigment called lutein — a natural antioxidant that protects the eyes from age related macular degeneration. Yolks are also a significant source of choline — a nutrient essential for memory, muscle control and a host of other body processes.
So why are eggs feared? One egg yolk contains about a 180 milligrams of cholesterol. (Healthy people should consume no more than 300 milligrams of cholesterol a day; people with high cholesterol should limit daily cholesterol to less than 200 milligrams.) But here is the good news: Cholesterol in food is not the main cause of high cholesterol in the blood. Saturated fat has a more detrimental effect (and eggs are low in saturated fat).
So ... according to recent studies, most healthy people can probably enjoy an egg every day. People with high blood cholesterol levels (and especially those with diabetes) are smart to limit egg yolks to 2 or less per week. And regarding colored eggs, the American Egg Board reminds us that white chickens lay white eggs and brown chickens lay brown eggs. There is no nutritional difference between the two.
-- Monterey County Herald/MCT Information Services
