Eggs are one of the essential proteins in your daily meals. Some people start their day off with eggs for breakfast. However, at some point, they started questioning whether the cholesterol in eggs was good for health.
Studies back in the late 60s suggested that consuming too many eggs can be harmful due to high cholesterol. In the 90s, people became cautious and shifted towards eating eggs without yolks. There are several myths about eggs in terms of their health concerns. Several studies tried to debunk the myths and came up with proper results.
The main focus of this article is to shine a light on cholesterol in eggs and its myth.
What Is Cholesterol?
Cholesterol is an element that is waxy in nature. 80% of it is generated by your intestines and liver, and the other 20% is gathered from the food you consume. This is very crucial for your body’s functionality. It helps to make fat-dissolving acids, hormones, and Vitamin D.
Cholesterol contains lipoproteins which can exist in various forms. These forms can indicate if it’s good cholesterol or bad cholesterol. First, chylomicrons are particles that carry fatty acids from the food you consume. These fatty acids are called triglycerides.
Secondly, lipoproteins can have very low-density lipoproteins (VLDL). The main task for this VLDL is to carry lipoproteins to your tissues. When the tissues take in the fatty acids from VLDL, they transform them into intermediate-density lipoproteins (ILD).
Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) is also referred to as “bad” cholesterol. LDL is known as bad cholesterol because of how saturated they are. LDL is one of the main causes why arteries get clogged, and you eventually face cardiovascular diseases.
On the flip side, high-density lipoproteins (HDL) are the “good” cholesterol as they can stop bad cholesterol from moving through the body.
How Much Cholesterol Do Eggs Have?
Eggs are one of the cheapest ways to get all the nutrients and cholesterol your body requires. A typical large egg contains 73 calories and a protein level of 6 grams. Moreover, the egg yolk contains about 186 milligrams of cholesterol.
Egg yolks have a very high level of cholesterol, that’s why people have concerns, as high cholesterol can clog your arteries. Therefore, people were alerted about eggs.
Experts usually recommend having 300 milligrams of cholesterol for a proper healthy lifestyle. You can consume a large egg every day for breakfast without significantly impacting your health. However, as eggs are eaten along with various side dishes like potatoes, bacon, bread, sausages, and beans, it is important to check the cholesterol intake.
What Are The Benefits Of Consuming Eggs?
Eggs are delicious meals that are full of protein. It is consumed by everyone globally due to its commendable health benefits.
Firstly, eggs are the best source of proteins. Eggs contain all the nine essential amino acids which your body requires to function. Your body requires these amino acids as it cannot produce them by itself.
Eggs are also very rich in nutrients. Consuming one egg will get your body selenium, phosphorus, choline, and vitamin B12. Moreover, you will also get many antioxidants that help your cells to remain healthy.
According to Chinese research conducted by a group of experts, eggs are supposed to help with stroke. They came to the conclusion that eggs can minimize the chances of you getting a stroke by 30%.
Moreover, eggs contain lutein and zeaxanthin. These antioxidants prevent your eyes from age-related diseases or cataracts. Your body can seamlessly use the nutrients as eggs contain fat.
Furthermore, eggs are one of the natural sources of vitamin D. Nowadays, there are a lot of cases of vitamin D deficiency. It is said that two egg servings fulfill the requirements of vitamin D intake by 80%.
Lastly, eggs are very affordable. You are getting so many nutrients and antioxidants at a very low price when compared to other nutrient-rich alternatives. Almost most people can afford to get eggs for their meals. It is also elementary and less time-consuming to prepare eggs.
What Are The Myths About Cholesterol In Eggs?
As mentioned before, one of the biggest myths about eggs is they are high in cholesterol which is bad for your health. This made people back in the 90s switch their diets. They were very concerned to the point they avoided egg yolks. Unsurprisingly, financially well-off people back then ordered breakfast without egg yolks. Moreover, there are myths that eggs are rich in fat, and they should be avoided when you are trying to maintain a healthy weight.
However, recent studies debunked these myths and provided people with a different outcome. It is said that eggs do have high cholesterol, but the level of “good” cholesterol is higher. According to studies, in people who consume two or more eggs a day, their HDL increases. At the same time, LDL, the “bad” cholesterol doesn’t increase as much. Therefore, it impacts your health positively.
Moreover, another Chinese researcher came up with a study that shows that eggs are not harmful to your heart. In fact, they are very heart-health-friendly. According to their studies, people who consumed eggs almost every day were 20% less likely to form heart diseases.
Eggs also help you to bring down your triglycerides level. Eggs have essential fatty acids like Omega 3s, which help to tame high levels of triglycerides. As a result, it keeps your body healthy.
Conclusion
Eggs are protein-enriched meals that rule our meals daily. It has several benefits and essential nutrients that our body requires. Cholesterol in eggs is quite high, but they impact your health in a positive way. Consuming at least one egg every day will help you to get all the protein and nutrients you’re lacking. Moreover, eggs are good for your heart and eyes.
You can also check: How Long Does It Take To Lose Weight?
