Are Eggs Really Bad For Me? (Confused Day Tuesday)

When I was in school for dietetics, eggs were considered a healthy food but one that should only be consumed two days a week because of their cholesterol content.  And let's be honest, that wasn't too long ago....about 8 years to be precise.  Since that time things have changed.  Actually, a lot has changed.  Now all of a sudden cholesterol in food isn't really what raises our cholesterol...it's saturated fats (although for some populations at greater risk for heart disease, cholesterol should still be limited (read about Therapeutic Lifestyle Changes here)).  And these days even saturated fats are being looked at in a different light, with so many different forms having different effects on our blood lipids.  Speaking of blood lipids, a simple lipid profile provides only the basic information and doesn't provide enough detail for certain high-risk populations.  Advanced lipid profiles can tell us so much more about a person's risk (I mean, having "high cholesterol" may not be so bad anymore, as the types of LDL cholesterol are turning out to mean so much more than we ever thought).  It's confusing, even for me, a dietitian.  There is just so much information out there, and so much yet to be discovered.

Source: iStock Photo

The whole saturated fat debate will probably carry on for years (if you'd like to read more check out a couple of my past posts; Margarine vs. Butter, and Is Coconut Oil Really That Great?), but a debate that I believe is finally coming to an end is the debate about eggs.  Without fail, the question I get asked the most is, "How many eggs can I eat every week?" or "Are eggs bad for me"? I'm going to start handing out this article from the New York Times to everyone who asks this, because I sometimes feel like a broken record.

Source: iStock Photo
The eggs may not be bad, but the bacon? That's another story, for another post.

The bottom line? After pooling data from eight prospective studies, which included over 250,000 subjects, there was no evidence that eating up to an egg a day increase people's risk for heart disease or stroke (diabetes patients were the only exception, but there were too few in the study to draw any conclusions. Please read the very short article to learn more).

Now THAT is something to smile about!  Wondering what this is? Egg white and oat crepes; 4 egg whites, 1/2 cup oats, a dash of vanilla, put in a skillet and cook like a pancake. Top with syrup or fruit or Greek yogurt or all three!

But, the question still remains....how many eggs can be consumed each week before negative effects are seen?  That's still unclear, but the consensus seems to be that as long as you are eating a balanced diet, getting plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, etc. and replacing some of your saturated fats with unsaturated fats, it's probably fine to do more than 1 egg a day, sometimes (but of course, listen to your doctor's orders, as some people are at greater risk for heart disease and some evidence still shows that a reduced cholesterol diet is very important for certain high-risk populations).

Nutrition Facts for eggs

My personal opinion?  Eggs are definitely high in cholesterol, but the mere 1 gram of saturated fat is pretty amazing. And check out the protein, riboflavin and vitamin E!  And then there is the choline, which is found in the egg yolk and has some positive health effects.   Ok, but what else do you notice about the label above?  I have a confession.  It wasn't until I was working with a client just two weeks ago who was trying to stick to a low-sodium diet that I realized just how much sodium eggs contained.  Can you believe I thought eggs were sodium free? Yeah, I'm so embarrassed.  That 65mg is mainly from the whites. And guess who eats egg whites all the time?? ME!

This is my egg white crepe, same as the picture above but a bit messier.  Still delicious.

So....basically here is what you should know; 

• To go along with this month's National Nutrition Month Theme, remember, Eggs aren't a "Bad Food" (there is no such thing as a bad food, only bad food patterns, and don't you forget it!).  They are low in saturated fat, and even though they are loaded with cholesterol the research doesn't seem to show that they increase heart disease or stroke risk.

• If you're skipping the egg yolks, you are missing about half of the protein and all of the choline in eggs.

• If you are just eating the egg whites you need to consider the sodium content.  While the ~55 mg of sodium in 1 egg white isn't high, it can quickly add up when you make that 6 egg white omelet!

• Eggs are delicious and health-promoting, but if you are on strict orders to reduce your cholesterol, do not eat them. Period.  

Here are some of my past egg recipes;

Egged Spaghetti Squash

Spinach and Mushroom Eggs Benedict

Alton Brown's Perfect Scrambled Eggs

And with Easter right around the corner, don't forget eggs are perfect hard boiled and topped on spinach salads.....

....  and they are also perfect with peanut butter and chocolate ;)

QUESTION:  What's your favorite way to eat eggs??? 

By the way, I had a few questions about tempeh on yesterdays tempeh taco post.  I think any brand is fine, I don't really have a preference.  I look for fewer ingredients, and the non "Flavored" type (less sodium that way).  I also like it when they add whole grains because the texture becomes  "meat-like" (and I personally like that, not everyone does though).  It's fun to just experiment a bit.

Thanks for reading!

The Candid Rd

NOTE: I love comments!  But, be sure to come back to read any replies to questions or comments, as they do not go directly to your e-mail.

Foods I'm Lovin' Lately

While doing a demo in the demo kitchen the other day, I noticed that one of the chefs was making whipped cream.....with vanilla bean paste! She poured two containers of heavy whipping cream into a Kitchen Aid mixer and started whipping the cream until "stiff peaks" formed. Next she poured some vanilla bean paste into the whipped cream and incorporated the paste into the whipping cream for about 30 seconds.

VOILA!
Delicious

I've been lovin' it with canned pumpkin (my last can!) and butternut squash.




I've been loving it with orange juice popsicles and 2% plain Greek yogurt.



And of course I loved it many times with homemade ice cream, but I don't have pictures to share. When my whipped cream was gone I thought about making more, but then I quickly decided it was slightly dangerous to have a constant supply of a treat that sounds so healthy (sugar-free!) but is secretly not (lots of saturated fat...).

So now I'm lovin' plain 2% Greek yogurt + butternut squash + walnut butter....


Smoothies with frozen blueberries (~3/4 cup) unsweetened almond milk (enough to cover the blueberries), and 2% Greek yogurt....without whipped cream. Oh well! It's still fantastic.


I'm lovin' making popsicles. I haven't done anything really creative yet, but the other day I added yogurt to the popsicles. They were pretty delicious! If you don't have a popsicle maker, just use an ice cube tray and make mini popsicles. They taste just as good.


And to move away from the sweet foods, I'm LOVIN' eggs lately!! Nick is lovin' the fact that I'm lovin' eggs because he's finding that my love for eggs means we eat them more often for dinner. So easy! Most of the time I do one egg, lots of egg whites, and of course tons of veggies on the side or mixed into the egg creation. Or we'll do dipping eggs....


Many people still think eggs are really unhealthy, but I beg to differ. Check out my post about the benefits of eggs if you need some convincing. Clearly you should watch how many you eat per week (I say no more than five, depending on your health status) but give up on the idea that eggs are bad for you. They are a cheap and delicious protein choice.

Oh yeah, I'm also lovin' Cabot 75% Reduced Fat Cheese. And unfortunately, now that Nick has tasted it, he's lovin' it too. Darn it! I wish it wasn't so expensive.

QUESTION: What are you LOVIN' LATELY?! Something else I'm lovin' is broccoli sauteed with EVOO and rice vinegar. Is that random or what?!

Eggs; The Perfect Protein For a Healthy Diet

Now that I work 40-50 hours each week I don't really spend much time in the kitchen. I do still manage to prepare tasty, healthy meals, but they're always pretty random! I really love mixing egg whites (sometimes I also add an egg yolk), baked beans, lots of veggies, and light provolone cheese.

Not the prettiest picture, but my taste buds disagree!

Have you ever had gas from eating real egg white? Or am I the only one? I buy egg whites in the container because the sulfur level is lower for some reason. The ingredients say "real egg whites" but I know they must do something to these because my GI system certainly doesn't react the same!



For Nick I have been making a lot of baked potatoes with sliced hard-boiled egg on top. Random, right? I always give him some type of vegetable too. On this particular evening he had his potato and egg with baked beans, yellow squash from our garden, and some cooked spinach.




When I was in school for dietetics, from 2001-2005, we were taught that eggs should only be consumed 1-2 times per week. Even though my college days weren't that long ago, research has come a long way since then and we now know that the once feared cholesterol in eggs actually poses less of a threat on our body's cholesterol than once thought. Research has been mixed, but as of now it's pretty clear that it is the saturated fat in foods that causes an increase in our cholesterol, not cholesterol in foods. So what does that mean for egg lovers? Eat up!

More Reason Why Eggs Are the Perfect Protein For a Healthy Diet!

- While eggs are high in cholesterol (~213 mg per egg), they are low in saturated fat (~1-3 grams) and free of trans fat. Saturated and trans fats are the fats that will increase your cholesterol.

- Eggs contain a high-quality protein source, which means the protein is more effectively absorbed and used by the body. Have you seen some cereals lately that claim to have "As much protein as an egg!?" Well that may be true, but it's not high-quality protein.

- Eggs are inexpensive, compared to most other high-quality proteins (such as meat, fish, and poultry).

- For some individuals who are more sensitive to cholesterol in foods (such as my dad's family!) eggs may increase their LDL (bad) cholesterol, but at the same time they also increase their HDL (good) cholesterol, which evens out the good:bad ratio.

- Eggs contain lutein and zeaxanthin, two carotenoids essential to the health of your eyes. They can help reduce the risk of cataracts and age-related macular degeneration.

- Eggs contain choline, which is essential for normal growth and development. Choline may also help improve memory!

- Eggs contain folate, B12, riboflavin, and vitamins A,D, and K. All of these are important components in a well-balanced diet.

QUESTION: How do you eat your eggs?

I hope everyone had a great weekend. I'll be back with another post on Friday! By the way, if you can, stop by Melinda's blog to enter her one year blog anniversary giveaway. You may receive something special from overseas!

Thanks for reading, and have a great day!