Health Benefits of Eggs
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Some of the many health benefits of eggs include their ability to balance nutrient intake in the body, lower “bad” cholesterol levels, increase cognitive function, protect the heart, prevent eye disease, detoxify the body, prevent certain cancers, help you lose weight, and guarantee proper growth and development.
Eggs are some of the most fascinating parts of our diet, simply because they themselves are so unique.
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Eggs
have become a staple part of diets across the world, as they are not only a food source in and of themselves, but they also function in the creation of hundreds of other meals and ingredients necessary for cooking a limitless range of food.
Eggs are so widely loved and used because they provide a powerhouse of nutrients inside their tiny package. Eggs contain significant levels of vitamin A, B-complex vitamins,vitamin D, E, and K, as well as phosphorous, selenium, calcium, zinc, omega-3s, antioxidants, and protein.
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There is a reason why eggs are such an important food staple in our formative years; it seems like breakfast almost always contained an egg while we were young! The highconcentration of protein, as well as other essential vitamins, means that our bodies can develop at a normal rate and get all of the necessary nutrients to grow properly and set young people on a trajectory for lifelong health. Protein is necessary for cell creation, which means that every part of our body, every organ, hair, blood vessel, and bone in some way relies on protein to exist. Also, protein is necessary for repair and regrowth, so it is a lifelong necessity for us that we can acquire through eggs!
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While there has been significant criticism in recent decades about the potential dangers of eggs onheart health, due to its admittedly high content of cholesterol, many people don’t look at the type of cholesterol, nor its effect on the body. Most studies have actually shown eggs to protect against strokes and improve heart health, as the “good cholesterol” (HDL cholesterol) levels increase, which can help to eliminate “bad cholesterol” in the body. By lowering LDL cholesterol levels, eggs help to avoid atherosclerosis, blood clots, strokes, heart attacks, and other serious cardiovascular conditions!
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Weight Loss
Since eggs are so full of those important proteins that our body needs for development, eggs also tend to be a very satisfying and filling form of food. They provide energy and nutrient stability in our body and satisfies our hunger. Eggs can be a great way to get the healthy balance you need without consuming excess calories, which is a great way to lose weight or keep your weight down.
One of the lesser known benefits of eggs is its impact on cognitive health, primarily due to the high levels of choline present. Choline is often grouped with B-vitamins, but in fact, it is a somewhat unknown nutrient that helps to create critical neural pathways in the brain. About 90% of the population is estimated to get less choline than the body requires, but whole eggs supplies choline in large quantities!
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Antioxidant
It seems as though any food with antioxidant capacity is considered healthy, but many people forget that eggs contain various antioxidants, including vitamin A, lutein, and zeaxanthin. Vitamin A works as an antioxidant in a number of areas in the body, but works particularly well with lutein and zeaxanthin in the eyes to protect against macular degeneration and the development of cataracts. Antioxidants are able to seek out free radicals and neutralize those dangerous particles (formed as byproducts of cellular metabolism) before they can cause oxidative stress on body organs, resulting in chronis diseases, such as cancer and heart disease.
Rare Minerals
The mineral composition of eggs is wonderful, but it is also unique, in that it can be difficult to obtain certain minerals, like iodine and selenium, in our diets. Eggs are so versatile and universal that we can almost unconsciously stay balanced by eating eggs, ensuring that the those rare minerals keep our antioxidant activity up (selenium) and maintain healthy hormonal functioning in our thyroid (iodine).
Free Range Eggs
All of these important health benefits are derived, in part, from the condition in which the hen was raised. The diet that the mother hen has will obviously be reflected in the nutrient content of the egg. For that reason, it is a far better choice to consume pasture-fed eggs, as they have consistently been shown to have higher omega-3 content, vitamin E content, tend to be larger, and are more densely packed with nutrients.
While the price tag might be slightly higher for organic, free-range, or cage-free eggs, if you are serious about getting the most health benefits out of eggs that you can, dig a bit deeper in your pockets for those extra coins.
Furthermore, some studies have shown an increase in negative effects between Type II diabetes patients and excessive egg consumption, but further study on that point still needs to be conducted.
It seems as though any food with antioxidant capacity is considered healthy, but many people forget that eggs contain various antioxidants, including vitamin A, lutein, and zeaxanthin. Vitamin A works as an antioxidant in a number of areas in the body, but works particularly well with lutein and zeaxanthin in the eyes to protect against macular degeneration and the development of cataracts. Antioxidants are able to seek out free radicals and neutralize those dangerous particles (formed as byproducts of cellular metabolism) before they can cause oxidative stress on body organs, resulting in chronis diseases, such as cancer and heart disease.
Rare Minerals
The mineral composition of eggs is wonderful, but it is also unique, in that it can be difficult to obtain certain minerals, like iodine and selenium, in our diets. Eggs are so versatile and universal that we can almost unconsciously stay balanced by eating eggs, ensuring that the those rare minerals keep our antioxidant activity up (selenium) and maintain healthy hormonal functioning in our thyroid (iodine).
Free Range Eggs
All of these important health benefits are derived, in part, from the condition in which the hen was raised. The diet that the mother hen has will obviously be reflected in the nutrient content of the egg. For that reason, it is a far better choice to consume pasture-fed eggs, as they have consistently been shown to have higher omega-3 content, vitamin E content, tend to be larger, and are more densely packed with nutrients.
While the price tag might be slightly higher for organic, free-range, or cage-free eggs, if you are serious about getting the most health benefits out of eggs that you can, dig a bit deeper in your pockets for those extra coins.
Furthermore, some studies have shown an increase in negative effects between Type II diabetes patients and excessive egg consumption, but further study on that point still needs to be conducted.