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(HealthNewsDigest.com) – Eggs are one of nature’s truly remarkable products – they contain every nutrient needed to support life in a handy container. Eggs have the highest quality protein; contain the pigments lutein and zeaxanthin which protect your eyes; have 12 minerals and 13 vitamins; are low in overall fat and saturated fat; and average 80 calories an egg. Yet many people avoid eggs because they are high in cholesterol. Not anymore.
In the latest edition of the USDA National Nutrient Database, published in the fall of 2010, a fresh whole egg has 186 milligrams of cholesterol, down from 213 milligrams. What happened, you ask?
The last analysis of eggs was done 10 years ago. Experts have speculated on why the cholesterol has gone down while all the other nutrients in eggs remain the same. Theories on the lower cholesterol values include new breeding methods which cause hens to deposit less cholesterol in their eggs, different feed, or possibly increased accuracy in the methods of measuring cholesterol.
Whatever the reason, you benefit. Even on the strictest cholesterol recommendation of 200 milligrams a day, an egg can fit. If you aim for 300 milligrams a day, the recommendation for healthy adults, an egg a day is possible. And, remember, all the cholesterol is in the yolk. There is no cholesterol in the white. Consider making scrambled eggs with 1 whole egg + 1 white. Or use 1 whole egg + ¼ cup of cholesterol-free, liquid egg substitute. Eggs are definitely back on the menu.
Here are some interesting egg facts you may not know.
Laying hens produce 1 egg every 25 hours, laying approximately 300 to 325 eggs a year. Most hens produce eggs for about 18 months before naturally molting, a sort of chicken menopause.
Eggs from all types of chickens are nutritionally equal. Eggshell color tells you nothing about the quality of the egg or the health of the chicken, but it does tell you the breed of hen. White shelled eggs are from white longhorn chickens, brown shelled from Rhode Island Reds, and blue shelled from South African Araucanas. Some breeds even produce freckled eggs. In some areas of the country you pay a premium for brown-shelled eggs, in other places white-shelled cost more. Marketers want you to believe that the color of the shell somehow makes the egg more natural or healthier. Neither is true, and remember you throw away the shell you may have paid a premium to buy.
Fertilized eggs are nutritionally equal to unfertilized eggs. The only difference is the rooster got in the henhouse and they are more perishable. Fertilized eggs are not found in grocery stores because commercial egg producers and USDA and state inspectors discard them from wholesale supplies. They can be purchased from farms and at specialty ethnic food stores.
Once the egg shell is cracked, bacteria can easily enter. When shopping, open the carton and check. If any eggs are cracked don’t buy that carton. If you accidentally crack an egg in handling, break the egg into a clean container, cover tightly, refrigerate and use within 2 days. If an eggshell cracks during cooking, the egg is still safe to eat.
Yolk color depends on the diet of the hen. Feed containing yellow corn or alfalfa produces medium yellow yolks. Feed containing wheat or barley produces lighter colored yolks. Natural orange substances, like marigold petals, can be added to feed to give the yolk a bold yellow color.
A green tinge or ring on a hard-cooked egg yolk is due to overcooking. It is caused by sulfur and iron compounds that occur naturally in the egg. It can also be caused by a high iron content in the cooking water. In either case it does not affect taste and the egg is safe to eat.
Blood spots are caused by a rupture of small blood vessels in the yolk. Though it might not look appealing it isn’t unsafe. Most eggs with blood spots are removed during inspection and are not considered kosher.
Pourable eggs come in many varieties. They can be shelled, mixed whole eggs or just egg whites sold in cardboard cartons similar to milk. They are pasteurized to reduce bacteria levels. Pourable eggs can also be egg substitutes, which are egg whites colored and flavored to more closely resemble a whole egg. They are good replacements for scrambled eggs or to use in cooking and they have no cholesterol.
Bottom line: An egg a day is OK.
© NRH Nutrition Consultants, Inc.
Jo-Ann Heslin, MA, RD, CDN is a registered dietitian and the author of the nutrition counter series for Pocket Books with 12 current titles and sales of more than 8.5 million books. The books are widely available at your local or on-line bookseller.
Current titles include:
The Diabetes Counter, 4th Ed., 2011
The Protein Counter, 3rd Ed., 2011
The Calorie Counter, 5th Ed., 2010
The Ultimate Carbohydrate Counter, 3rd Ed., 2010
The Complete Food Counter, 3rd ed., 2009
The Fat Counter, 7th ed., 2009
The Healthy Wholefoods Counter, 2008
The Cholesterol Counter, 7th Ed., 2008
For more information on Jo-Ann and her books, go to www.TheNutritionExperts.com.
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