I was recently asked to give my personal opinion on eggs; their role in a healthy diet, their effects on cholesterol level, and the type of recipes we use them in. I’ve always been a big fan of eating them, but they were given a bad wrap in recent times, being blamed for raising bad cholesterol levels. Fortunately for us egg-lovers, latest research on cholesterol suggests that we should be enjoy eggs in our diet without worry.
So here’s to lifting a hatch and scramble to praise the humble egg –
Eggs are a fantastic source of nutrients. My family prepare them in many ways; including scrambled, poached and within vegetable omelettes, frittatas and quiches; using as ingredients in homemade muffins and cakes (refined sugar-free, of course!), plus one of my toddlers’ favourite ways to enjoy eggs is hard boiled. All of the above meals, snacks & finger foods are delicious, easy & healthy for the whole family.
Almost 2 decades ago, eggs were thought to raise cholesterol levels, the ‘bad cholesterol’ LDL that causes health issues , and therefore it was recommended to not eat more than 2 eggs p/week. It’s now known that eating eggs isn’t likely to raise LDL cholesterol levels in a healthy person and it’s safe for most people to eat up to 4-6 eggs p/week. A rise in LDL cholesterol levels is mainly caused by unhealthy lifestyle practices, such as eating processed and packaged foods that contain high levels of trans fats, smoking, high stress and little exercise, to name a few.
In fact, eggs contain good amounts of omega-3 fats that are very beneficial for heart and nervous system health which is important at all ages, in particularly as we get older. They’re also a great source of protein, and high in essential vitamins and minerals such as Vitamins A, D, E & Folate, Iron, Zinc & Selenium.
Many will agree with me and say eggs taste great too. There are so many ways to prepare them and, unless someone is allergic to eggs and needs to avoid them in their diet, In my profession I often recommend eating eggs as a part of a nutritious and balanced diet.