I’ve been singing the praises of eggs for years now. They’re a nearly perfect food with bunches of health benefits.
And despite decades of bad press, eating them won’t raise your heart risk or cause a significant bump in your cholesterol levels.
But even with a growing stack of pro-egg research, many folks with type 2 diabetes are still being advised to avoid them. They’re being warned that they’ll increase their heart risks.
I say that’s just hogwash. And it looks like scientists agree with me.
No matter whether you prefer them over easy, boiled or poached Australian researchers have confirmed it. It’s perfectly safe to eat eggs even if you have pre-diabetes or diabetes.
In fact, they found eating up to 12 eggs a week didn’t lead to any increased heart disease!
For the study, the University of Sydney scientists recruited 128 volunteers who had either pre-diabetes or type-2 diabetes. And they were divided into two groups.
For three months, Group One ate 12 eggs a week and Group Two ate less than two eggs a week. At the end of the first trial, there was no difference in heart risk factors between the groups.
For the second trial, the volunteers continued to eat the same amount of eggs for another three months and then an additional six months after that. And once again, researchers gave the participants heart health the all clear.
In fact, cholesterol, blood sugar and blood pressure all remained healthy.
Are eggs healthy? You bet!
But nutrient-dense eggs aren’t just, “not bad for you.” They bring a bunch of health benefits to the table. So if you’ve been wondering if eggs are healthy, you can finally stop.
Following are four great reasons to eat an egg TODAY (and tomorrow and the day after that too).
1. Improved vision:
Lutein and zeaxanthin are antioxidants found in your eyes. Experts say they help protect our eyes from oxidation. They’re essential for healthy clear vision as we age. And it turns out egg yolks are an excellent source of these critical nutrients.
Egg yolks contain around 252 mcg of both lutein and zeaxanthin. And according to studies, that means eating eggs could help slash your risk of cataracts and macular degeneration.
2. A brain boost:
Eggs are a good source of choline, a vitamin like nutrient that your brain craves. Similar to B vitamins, choline supports energy levels and brain function. The macronutrient helps keep the signals in your brain firing effectively, and maintains the integrity of your cell membranes.
The recommended daily amount of choline is 425 mg a day for women and 500 mg for men. And eating eggs, which contain around 125 mg, can help you reach your goal.
3. Better cholesterol:
Yes, you read that right. Ironically, eggs spent decades on the no-no list because folks were being told they were bad for their cholesterol. But the fact is they can actually help IMPROVE your numbers.
It’s true that a whole egg can contain over 200 mg of cholesterol. But it won’t trigger any negative effects on your blood cholesterol levels. And at the same time, it could even raise your HDL or “good” cholesterol.
In one study, for example, when folks ate two eggs a day for six weeks their HDL shot up by a healthy 10 percent. In other words, eggs are healthy for your heart.
4. Slash cancer risk:
Ladies, it turns out eggs could be a tasty way to reduce your breast cancer risk. Remember that choline I mentioned earlier? Well studies have connected higher levels of the nutrient to a lower risk of breast cancer.
Estrogen helps produce choline in your body. So when production of the hormone drops after menopause you’re at a greater risk for a choline deficiency. But the 125 mg of choline in an egg can help keep your levels topped up.
And that may be why a Harvard study found that women who ate six or more eggs a week were 44 percent less likely to develop breast cancer than ladies who ate two or less. Or that in another study, researchers concluded the choline in eggs was associated with a 24 percent drop in breast cancer risk.
The bottom line is, if you’ve been wondering, “Are eggs healthy?” the answer is a resounding, “YES!”
Eating more eggs for breakfast is obvious. But why not start incorporating them into other meals throughout your day? Maybe try a hard boiled egg for a snack, a poached egg on top of your soup for lunch or an over-easy egg on top of your turkey burger for dinner.
A note for folks living in in Colorado, Florida, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Virginia and West Virginia. A recent salmonella outbreak in eggs shipped to your state means you should be careful about what brand of eggs you choose. Avoid eggs from Country Daybreak, Coburn Farms, Sunshine Farms, Great Value and Glenview until the FDA confirms they’re safe.
You can check the Food and Drug Administration’s website for more information, a full list of recalled brands and updates.
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