Week 4-Eggs

Eggs are a big part of my diet. I don’t go a day without eating them. They are such a good source of protein and have provided me with so many health benefits.

Why are eggs good for you?

Nicola Davenport explains 7 reason why to make sure superfood eggs have a regular place in your diet:-

1. Eggs are one of the most nutrient-dense foods money can buy. And they're cheap.
2. Eating eggs provides you with a wide range of vitamins and minerals, including vitamin D (needed for healthy bones and teeth), choline (essential for normal development of the brain and memory), folate (important if you are pregnant or intending to get pregnant), calcium (for healthy bones and teeth), iron and selenium.
3. Eggs contain the best quality protein including all eight essential amino acids. Two eggs contain 28% of an adult woman's guideline daily amount of protein.
4. They are not a cholestrol risk. All major UK heart and health organisations have lifted limits on recommended egg consumption, as it's now known that the dietary cholesterol in eggs does not have a significant effect on blood cholesterol.
5. A medium egg contains fewer than 80 calories.
6. Studies suggest that eating eggs can help cut calorie intake and prevent snacking by keeping hunger pangs at bay.
7. UK and US studies show that people who ate an egg-based breakfast felt fuller, consumed fewer calories and lost more weight than people eating cereal and bread/pastry-based breakfasts.

Whole Eggs or Egg Whites?

Mike Geary, an expert nutritionist has very strong views on this issue.  He said that he is shocked how most people now mistakenly think that the egg yolk is the worst part of the egg, when in fact, the  YOLK IS THE HEALTHIEST PART OF THE EGG! By throwing out the yolk and only eating egg whites, you’re essentially throwing out the most nutrient dense, antioxidant-rich, vitamin and mineral loaded portion of the egg. The yolks contain so many B-vitamins, trace minerals, vitamin A, folate, choline, lutein, and other powerful  nutrients.

Will whole eggs raise my cholesterol?

No, this is FALSE! There have been plenty of studies that indicate that eating whole eggs actually raises your good cholesterol to a high degree, thereby improving your overall cholesterol ratio and blood chemistry.

But what about the extra calories?

Even though the egg yolks contain more calories than just eating egg whites, the yolks have such a high micro-nutrient density in those calories, that it increases your overall nutrient density per calorie you consume. Essentially, what this does is help regulate your appetite for the remainder of the day, so you end up eating less calories overall.

Overall, this means that the extra fats and calories from the yolk are so nutrient-dense that they actually HELP you to burn off body fat!

NOTE: Remember to always buy Freerange eggs. The difference between conventional and organic, free-range eggs is enormous. The taste is better, the nutritional value higher, and it means you are supporting a local farm who doesn 't cruelly cage their hens up.

Benefits? 

I used to have really fine hair and it got to a certain length and didn’t grow anymore. About two years ago I introduced eggs into my diet. After a year people started complimenting my hair, asking if I had hair extensions in. The eggs have make my hair stronger and more flexible. This means less of that brittle feeling and more smooth, silky strands.

High protein foods like eggs and chicken have great benefits for your hair and nails. Because hair is made of protein, these foods work to strengthen your roots and remove buildup from the follicles. This can actually speed up the growth process a tad.

The saying “you are what you eat” goes for your hair too, so you should always eat a well balanced diet full of protein rich foods. The more protein you consume, the healthier your hair will be so whether they are boiled, sunny-side up or scrambled, try adding them to your diet!