Many people wonder whether eating eggs is healthy. The appearance of the egg is smooth and even, with a shiny surface that has fine clean pores. Its oval shape and fragile feel make it immediately recognizable. The difference between eggs with different shell colors is in the breed of the hen that laid them, but there is no difference in their nutritional content.
Eggs are rich in protein, calcium, iron, phospholipids, and choline, but many people are afraid to eat the yolk, thinking it will increase their cholesterol and affect their blood lipids. Is this really true? What are the impacts on the body of eating eggs every day over time?
How eating eggs is healthy
1. Eating eggs improves blood lipid metabolism
Eating eggs moderately does not damage blood vessels; actually, it can significantly improve blood lipid metabolism. Some studies have shown that people without chronic metabolic disorders who eat eggs every week have better blood lipid indicators. One egg a day was associated with an 18 percent lower risk of death from cardiovascular disease and a 28 percent lower risk of death from hemorrhagic stroke.
2. Eating eggs improves brain function
A study published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition by the University of Eastern Finland found that eating eggs for breakfast can help improve brain function. Studies have shown that eggs contain a lot of protein, vitamins, and rich antioxidants, which improve the function of the frontal lobe of the brain and executive function.
3. Eating eggs protects the liver
The protein in eggs has a repairing effect on liver tissue damage. The lecithin in the egg yolk can promote the regeneration of liver cells. It can also increase the amount of plasma protein in the body and enhance the immune and metabolic function of the body. For people with liver damage, it is beneficial to eat an egg every morning.
4. Eating eggs protects eyesight
Egg yolks contain two antioxidant substances – lutein and zeaxanthin, which can protect the eyes from ultraviolet rays and reduce the risk of cataracts. Eating an egg in the morning is good for computer users who overuse their eyes.
For healthy adults, it is suggested to eat at least one egg a day with the yolk. For certain groups—children and adolescents, pregnant women, breastfeeding women, and people who are working out to gain muscle—eating one to two eggs a day is recommended. Patients recovering from illness can eat one egg a day unless there is medical advice to do otherwise.
2 conditions that warrant attention to eating eggs
1. Patients with gallbladder inflammation
People with gallbladder inflammation can eat eggs, but they need to pay attention to the way they are eaten. They are better eaten when boiled, poached, or any other way they can be cooked without adding fat.
2. Those with an allergy
Generally speaking, an egg allergy is mainly due to an allergy to the egg white. Such people can try eating just the yolk, but be careful in case doing so also causes an allergic reaction.
The best way to cook eggs is to boil them. When boiling eggs, it is better to boil the water, add the eggs, then cook them on low heat for about 5 minutes. Boiling an egg too long is likely to cause excessive protein coagulation and the oxidation of cholesterol and fatty acids.
Translated by Patty Zhang
