Did you know that an average backyard hen can lay up to 250 eggs per year? Or that the word “yolk” derives from an old English word that actually means “yellow”? So, we have egg white and egg yellow, and they’re extremely nutritious, rich in unique antioxidants, essential vitamins, and minerals.

Eggs are superfoods, but unfortunately, they also get a bad rep for triggering cholesterol, weight gain, or cardiovascular issues.

Eggs are not bad at all, and some of the things people say are just myths.

Did You Know?:An eggshell contains as many as 17,000 tiny pores.

Table of Contents

Health Benefits of Eating Eggs
Conclusion

Health Benefits of Eating Eggs

Let’s jump in and talk about the several health benefits of eating eggs.

1. You’ll get all the nutrients your body needs

Eggs are packed with life-giving nutrients. Just imagine how an egg can turn into a healthy baby chicken.

So, eggs are rich in vitamins, first-rate protein, minerals, good fats, and many other nutrients (1).

To understand how mighty just one egg is, know that one large egg contains 15% of the vitamin B2 RDA, 6% the vitamin A RDA, 9% the phosphorus RDA, and 22% of the Selenium RDA (2).

Eggs contain almost every vitamin and mineral our body needs. That includes folate, iron, potassium, vitamin E, B6, K, D, manganese, or calcium (3).

An egg also contains about 70 calories, 6 grams of protein, and 5 grams of good fat (4).

It’s good to know that most of the nutrients we’ve mentioned here are present in the yolk. The egg white mainly contains protein.

Summary:Eggs are extremely rich in nutrients the body needs and high in protein and good fat.

2. Your cholesterol will be fine

Ok, we need to get this straight because some people believe that eggs raise your cholesterol levels and they’re dangerous.

Is that so? Well, eggs are indeed high in cholesterol. In fact, one large egg contains about 207 mg, which is a lot considering that the recommended daily intake is 300mg (5).

However, the cholesterol in eggs does not raise the blood cholesterol. It’s true that the body’s response varies between individuals. Studies have shown that in 70% of people, eggs don’t affect cholesterol levels (6). For the other 30%, eggs can somehow raise the total and LDL cholesterol. These are the “hyper responders”.

So yes, eggs are high in cholesterol, and that’s why they get a bad reputation. Nevertheless, eggs will not adversely affect your blood cholesterol unless you are a “hyper responder”.

Summary:Contrary to many beliefs, although eggs contain cholesterol, studies show they do not raise cholesterol levels in the body.

3. You’ll get essential Omega-3 fatty acids

Eggs contain dietary cholesterol and fatty acids (7). It’s for these that eggs get a bad reputation.

But before ditching those eggs, take the time to inform yourself, would you?

The fat that eggs contain is actually Omega-3 (8). You see, not all fats are created equal. Omega-3 are healthy fats that your body desperately needs. They can lower heart rate, reduce the risk of blood clotting, decrease blood pressure levels, improve blood vessel health, and prevent plaque build-up in the coronary arteries (9). So, this type of fat is on your side, ladies!

Moreover, studies have also suggested that eggs don’t increase the risk of heart disease. So, why the unsavory reputation? Well, people are just scared of the words “cholesterol” and “fats”.

But we need cholesterol as much as we need fats. Cholesterol can be found in every cell of our body. It plays a crucial role in our digestion and vitamin D production (10). Moreover, it supports testosterone, estrogen, and cortisol production.

You see, they are good guys! Just don’t call them for drinks too often!

Summary:Eggs are high in omega-3 fatty acids, which are healthy fats that the body needs. They even help promote heart health.

4. You’ll keep your brain healthy

Egg yolks are rich in choline which is an essential nutrient similar to B vitamins that has been associated with a number of benefits for your brain health.

Studies suggest that choline can reduce inflammation and support brain function, improving the communication between brain cells (11). Research has also associated low choline intake with liver diseases, heart diseases, and various neurological disorders (12).

Choline is essential for pregnant women (13). Studies indicate that a low choline intake during pregnancy can lead to decreased cognitive function in the baby.

One large, hard-boiled egg contains about 169 mg of choline, representing 30% of the DV (14). Egg yolks and beef liver are some of the best sources of choline you can find.

So, eat more eggs, folks! They’re good for you and your brain!

Summary:Eggs are one of the richest sources of choline out there, which is excellent for brain function and is essential for pregnant women.

5. You’ll make progress with weight loss

If you incorporate eggs into a healthy diet, they can help you lose weight (15). Yes!

Eggs are low-calorie foods rich in protein and a ton of other nutrients. You see, this right here is the secret. Eating eggs for breakfast can help you control your calorie intake, boost your metabolic activity, and even make you feel full for longer.

Besides, it’s so easy to prepare eggs, and there are so many ways to do it. You can boil them, bake them, make them into an omelet, scramble or poach them. It’s your call.

For a healthy, fulfilling, low-calorie breakfast, pair eggs with some vegetables, or add 1-2 hard-boiled eggs to your salad. It will make you feel full for longer.

This is backed by science. Studies have found that eating eggs for breakfast can help limit your calorie intake by more than 400 calories throughout the day. If you battle with calories, that’s huge! You can lose 3 pounds per month just by eating eggs for breakfast.

How is this possible? Eggs curb your appetite. Try it!

Summary:Some research has found that eating eggs for breakfast can help suppress appetite and prevent overconsumption of calories later in the day.

6. You’ll get high-quality proteins

What is high-quality protein? Why can’t all proteins be the same? Let’s see!

Proteins are the main building blocks of our bodies (16). They are large, complex molecules that also play critical roles in many of our body’s processes. In a word, they help us function. So, let’s take the time to understand them better.

People talk a lot about proteins as opposed to fat. We know that proteins are the good guys, but as we’ve seen earlier, fats are also good guys. So, it’s not a matter of who’s better than who. It’s about who does what.

Proteins consist of amino acids bonded together like beads on a string. Our body uses about 21 amino acids to produce protein. Unfortunately, we cannot produce all the 21 amino acids, so we must get them from our food. So, the 9 essential amino acids are what we need to get from external sources (17).

High quality, blue-chip protein contains all these 9 essential amino acids. Eggs are among the best sources of protein on this planet. Actually, we evaluate the quality of protein sources by comparing them to eggs. Most studies give eggs a perfect score of 100.

That, right there is why you should never underestimate eggs!

Summary:Eggs are considered a high quality protein source. This is because they contain all 9 of the essential amino acids our bodies need that we must get from food.

7. You’ll reduce the risk of heart disease

Generally, increased risks of heart disease are linked to high LDL cholesterol levels.

LDL cholesterol is what we call “bad cholesterol”. Everybody is scared of LDL cholesterol like it’s the big bad wolf. But let’s take a closer look.

If we split LDL cholesterol into subtypes, we will find two types of particles: large LDL particles and small, more dense LDL particles.

Scientists have been looking at these two subtypes for some time now. Studies suggest that people with small, dense LDL cholesterol particles have a higher risk of developing heart disease than those with predominantly large LDL particles.

So, what does this have to do with eggs? We have seen earlier that eggs can slightly increase the LDL cholesterol levels of people who are hyper responders. However, scientists went that extra mile to study the LDL cholesterol in this category of people. The results were very promising.

Eggs consumption seems to change the pattern of LDL particles from small and dense to large, which, as we’ve seen, is associated with decreased risks of heart disease.

There you go, another myth debunked.

Summary:Although eggs contain cholesterol and in theory raise LDL (bad) cholesterol levels, this is not the case. They have actually been found to help decrease risk of heart disease.

8. Your eye health can improve

Egg yolks are rich in vitamin A, lutein, zeaxanthin, and zinc (18). Lutein is a carotenoid with remarkable anti-inflammatory properties. Studies show that lutein has several benefits for eye health, such as preventing age-related macular degeneration or cataracts (19).

Vitamin A is also essential for the health of your cornea, while zinc contributes to the health of your retina.

The zeaxanthin protects your eyes from the damaging effects of ultraviolet rays when exposed to direct sunlight. Studies have associated high levels of zeaxanthin with better vision, especially in dim light (20).

What is more, eggs will protect your eyes from retinal damage due to their high Omega-3 fatty acids.

Don’t get us wrong. Eating eggs won’t give you Superman-like laser eyes. However, it will help prevent severe eye health conditions.

Summary:Eggs are high in nutrients that promote healthy eyes like lutein, vitamin A, and zeaxanthin.

9. Your bones will be strong and healthy

Eggs are some of the few foods out there that contain vitamin D, which is essential for bone health (21). Moreover, eggs are rich in phosphorus and calcium, which help improve the density of the bones (22).

Studies have also confirmed that egg yolks can prevent the risk of osteoporosis (23). Wow! That’s pretty impressive!

Summary:Eggs are rich in nutrients that support bone health like vitamin D, phosphorus, and calcium.

Conclusion

So, next time someone tries to convince you that eggs are bad for your health, show them these science-backed facts.

Eggs are true superfoods that can do you a lot of good if paired with a healthy and balanced diet and an active lifestyle.

Keep healthy, folks!

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