The truth about eggs...in spirit of the holiday of course.

In the late 80's eggs were labeled as "unhealthy" and have taken a bad rap since then. There are so many claims thrown out there...too much cholesterol...too much saturated fat...high in protein...low in calories...etc. It can be hard to sort through them all to find the truths. Here are the facts, and you can't argue with the facts.

-Eggs are high in vitamins, minerals, and essential amino acids. They contain Choline, which helps keeps your bodies cell membranes healthy. Selenium, helps to strengthen your immune system. Folate and Riboflavin help your body to convert the food you eat into energy...to name a few.
-Eggs are nutritious and low in calories. One large egg has about 80 calories, five grams of fat, and 6.3 grams of protein. (3.5 grams in the white and 2.8 grams in the yolk)
-Eggs are high in cholesterol. One egg contains about 212 mg of cholesterol. The recommended daily intake of cholesterol is about 300 mg, which might shy some people away from consuming them. Some studies have shown that the lecithin in eggs prevents the absorption of cholesterol from eggs and other sources too. Keep in mind that it is the egg yolk that contains all the cholesterol. The egg white contains none.
-Research shows that Eggs aren't linked to Heart Disease. Stephen Kritchevsky, Ph.D., director of the J. Paul Sticht Center on Aging at Wake Forest University says,"People should feel secure with the knowledge that the literature shows regular egg consumption does not have a measurable impact on heart disease risk for healthy adults."

My Advice to you? I'd say go for it. Eat your eggs, BUT I'd try substituting a plethora of whole eggs with some egg whites to cut down on fat and cholesterol. Let's say your usual morning breakfast is an omelet with 3 whole eggs. This is what your nutrient breakdown would look like. 3 whole large eggs: 225 calories, 18.9 g protein, 15 g fat

Now substitute two of those whole eggs for 8 egg whites (15 calories each) and your stats looks something like this. 8 egg whites & 1 whole egg: 211 calories, 34.3 g protein, 5 g fat Less calories, more protein, and less fat. MUCH better.

My only other warning would be to watch what you're eating it with. Sometimes its not the egg that is the problem, but perhaps the butter your slathering it with or the cheese you're stirring in. So, enjoy your eggs.
Moderation is the key! Happy Easter!!