Who would have predicted that eggs, once shunned by those with raised cholesterol levels, have now received the Heart Foundation Tick? What a back flip I hear you say? Well this egg flip does seem like a big turnaround, but it’s based on the latest scientific research on eggs and heart health. So whether you like yours scrambled, poached, sunnyside up or with toast fingers, let’s take a look at the cholesterol confusion and key nutrition benefits you get from eggs.
Clearing the cholesterol confusion
The negative publicity around eggs in the 80s and 90s was enough to even turn big, breaky eating farmers off their morning fry up. Eggs were known to be rich in dietary cholesterol, which was mistakenly thought to cause a rise in blood cholesterol once eaten. Recent research however has confirmed that eating eggs has very little, if any, effect on blood cholesterol. The real culprit is the amount of saturated fat in your diet, coming from sources including streaky bacon and sausages. One large study of 128,000 men and women found that even people with high cholesterol levels may be able to eat eggs regularly. So eggs now have the Tick approval and a new message that even one a day is ok!
Protein power
Eggs contain ten essential vitamins and minerals and provide the highest quality protein of any food, which means they closely match human requirements for essential amino acids. A serve of 2 eggs provides around 12g of protein or a quarter of an adult’s daily requirements. Eggs especially make a compact protein pack for young kids and the elderly, who can have small appetites.
Vitamin A and D
One egg contains 10% of an adult’s daily vitamin A requirements, an essential vitamin needed for healthy skin, eyes and a strong immune system. Plus eggs are one of the few foods rich in vitamin D. Dietary sources of vitamin D are vital for children and anyone who misses out on getting enough sun exposure, like dark skinned and veiled population subgroups.
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