There’s a unanimous agreement between dietologists that eggs are one of the most beneficial food product that one can consume. In essence, there are no diets which do not include eggs. However, some healthy diet advocates argue about the true benefits of egg white vs. whole egg. What about the cholesterol? How to prepare it: cook or boil it? These are the questions we are going to find answers for.
Egg White vs. Whole Egg
Egg yolk nutrition
Let us take a look at the egg part that has the most value – egg yolk. It does have the maximum amount of fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, K, and carotenoids – lutein and zeaxanthin. It is also loaded with calcium, iron, zinc, thiamine, folic acid, vitamins B6 and B12. Only 10% of such micronutrients exist in egg white.
There are less protein in egg yolk than in egg white. It is important to notice that that protein in egg yolk are combined with fats. If you consume protein without fats, your body exhaust vitamin A reserve faster which can result in cellulite.
Eggs and cholesterol
When you think about terribly harmful cholesterol which exist in egg yolk, there is nothing to worry about. Studies show that people who consumed up to 4 eggs a day had even lower cholesterol levels than people who consumed up to 1 egg per day.
One specific study examined a person who consumed 100 eggs per month and his cholesterol levels dropped from 150 to 130 mg/dl.
About 80% of cholesterol are synthesized by liver and less than 20% are consumed with food. Therefore, if you consume more cholesterol than needed, the absorption will decrease. This is the reason why you should not fear the cholesterol in egg yolks and because of this deprive yourself from beneficial micronutrients that exist in egg yolk.
Egg yolk contain two very important fatty acids omega-3 and omega-6 which are in a perfect ratio. Lutein and zeaxanthin decrease the probability of eye diseases like macular degeneration and cataracts. Choline stimulates brain work and regulates insulin levels.
Advantages and disadvantages of egg white
Now, let’s take a look at egg whites. It is fascinating how mother nature worked this out. Egg white has a protective layer and it has a food source for chicken embryo. 13 our of 14 egg white proteins have antimicrobial characteristics.
Usually, it act as a protective layer for the chicken embryo in order to guard it from viruses and bacteria. However, when consumed in high amounts it can cause problems for human intestine bacteria.
For example, a protein called lysozyme usually does not have any harmful features. However, it can sometimes disrupt digestion and nutrient absorption. Furthermore, some egg white protein components can slip through weakened intestine walls and cause autoimmune diseases. Protein called avidin, can block biotin – a substance responsible for fatty acid synthesis and blood sugar levels. Some people are not able to digest egg whites, while they are fine with egg yolks.
Some might say that after cooking or boiling all negative effects of egg white disappear. However, this is not quite true in practice. Avidin still might be dangerous even when cooked at a high temperatures. In any case, you should never consume raw egg whites, while it is perfectly fine to eat raw egg yolks.
It’s common knowledge that after high temperature treatments (cooking or boiling) a lot of nutritious minerals are lost. Therefore, consuming slightly raw egg yolks is even more beneficial.
How many eggs can you eat a day?
Eating up to 3 whole eggs a day does no harm to your body. There are cases where people consumed more than 25 eggs a day and lived lengthy lives with great cholesterol levels and great general health.