Cracking egg nutrition

Unscrambling the truth about eggs…

Are eggs healthy? Or unhealthy? Are you supposed to eat the whole egg, or just the egg white?

Eggs have had a bad reputation for quite some time, partially due to their high cholesterol content that was once thought to be bad for your heart, and also for being higher in fat. But recent research have shed some positive light on the topic of egg consumption. The goal of this article is to help you make educated choices when considering to make eggs part of your diet as an athlete, or not.

Egg-stracting nutrition facts

Eggs contain high quality, biologically available protein which is highly digestible and concentrated. 3.6g of protein is in the egg white, while 2.7g is in the yolk. Athletes need between 1.6-2.2g/kg of protein per day, and eggs can help meet that requirement.

The egg yolk contains about 5g of fat, and 213mg cholesterol. A lot of people trying to lose weight avoid eating the egg yolk due to its high fat content; interestingly enough, research has shown that an egg breakfast (consuming the whole egg), in conjunction with an energy-deficit diet, enhances weight loss. This could be due to the fact that eggs are very satiating and leads to fewer calories being consumed later in the day.

The egg yolk can also be seen as the most nutritious part of the egg as it contains the following nutrients in addition to protein and fats:

• Vitamins A, D, K, B12 and riboflavin
• Folate – research shows that intense exercise can decrease folic acid levels in the body
• Lutein and zeaxanthin, carotenoids that are essential to eye health
• Choline – a water-soluble nutrient usually found in foods that are high in B vitamins. Some research shows that certain types of strenuous exercise (in particular endurance exercise) decreases choline levels and this may have an effect on performance. Because choline supplements may cause GI side effects, one of which is the breakdown of a substance called “trimethylamine” that leads to a fishy body odour, it is preferable to obtain this nutrient from real-food sources.

Let’s talk cholesterol

An average egg yolk contains 213 mg of cholesterol. For a long time, it was recommended that egg yolks consumption should be limited because of the cholesterol content; however, recent research has shown that it is not necessarily the cholesterol in food, but rather the saturated fats in food that raises LDL cholesterol in the blood, which is associated with heart problems.

Note: MOST studies show that dietary cholesterol raises the cholesterol levels in blood only slightly; and not enough to increase risk for heart disease. Some studies find no relationship at all, while the minority of others do show a correlation. The reason why these findings may seem confusing, is because we are all genetically unique and will respond uniquely to foods and nutrients, including cholesterol.

It’s also important to realise that most high-cholesterol foods also contain saturated fats and it may have been that the saturated fats have been the cause of increased blood cholesterol and heart disease risk, not the dietary cholesterol.

The food eaten with eggs also play a big role. Frequently eggs are eaten with fatty meats, like sausages, bacon as well as cheese, or white bread with butter, all of which are high in saturated fats.

The takeaway?

As with any other food, when eaten in moderation, eggs can be a healthy addition to your diet, contributing a wide range of macro- and micro-nutrients.

Always consider your TOTAL dietary intake as opposed to one food or food group when you are wondering whether a food is healthy or not. It’s mostly not the eggs or the individual nutrients that causes problems; it’s what is being eaten with it and the overall pattern of eating you are following. The sum of all your dietary habits add up to your state of health. Do you absolutely NEED to eat eggs to be healthy? No. But can eggs be part of a healthy athlete’s lifestyle? Absolutely. Eating a well-balanced diet based on whole foods, like fruit, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins and including eggs, is perfectly conductive to a healthy lifestyle.

References:

Vander Wal, J.S., Gupta, A., Khosla, P., Dhurandhar, N.V. 2008. Egg breakfast enhances weight loss. International Journal of Obesity. 32(10): 1545–1551.

Kritchevsky SB. A review of scientific research and recommendations regarding eggs. 2004. Journal of the American College of Nutrition. 23(6):596S-600S.

Pentry, J.T., Manore, MM. 2008. Choline: an important micronutrient for maximal endurance exercise performance? International Journal of Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism. 18(2):191-203