Eggs

By:  Dr. Michelle Zarrillo

I do not like green eggs and ham…

Question: Why did the chicken cross the road?
Answer: Because the rooster egged her on.

Question: Did you hear the one about the egg?
Answer: It’s not all it’s “cracked” up to be!

Without EGGS-agerating the point, eggs are simply EGGS-ZILERATING! Ok enough EGGS-amples… for now.

Eggs contain the highest amount of cholesterol per unit weight of all common foods.  It is this fact that has created a wide spread fear of eating eggs.  It was feared that eating a diet high in cholesterol would increase heart disease.  The research and reasoning were faulty.  In the 1940-50’s the average person ate more than an egg per day.  Today, that number has dropped, as more people have switched from eggs for breakfast to cereal.  Millions of Americans gave up eating one of the most nutritious, cheapest and available  food sources, because of this false fact.

Wrongly avoided for years, eggs are now known to NOT cause heart disease.  In fact, some studies done have shown egg eaters to have lower death rates from heart attacks and strokes than their non-egg-eating counterparts.  Eggs have been proven again and again to have no effect on serum cholesterol levels.  Eating eggs can benefit hair and nail growth. Eggs contain more readily available nutrients that  benefit the eyes than other sources.  People who eat eggs daily alsolower their cataracts risk.  Eggs contain choline, which is good for the brain, nervous system and heart.  Eggs are one of the only foods that contain naturally occurring vitamin D.   Eggs may prevent types of cancer, especially female cancers.

In many cultures, eggs are considered brain food.  Some studies have shown that one egg per day can even help with senility.  They increase DHA, a fatty acid found in egg yolks, which is also found in mother’s milk.  Eggs are rich in almost every nutrient that we are aware exists.  Eggs are considered to be a complete protein.  In fact, the protein in eggs is so perfect that it is used as the standard by which all other proteins are measured.  A good quality egg is  an excellent source of  vitamins, including vitamin D , and even a form of iron.  It also contains calcium, phosphorus and trace minerals.  Eggs contain an excellent fats, EPA and DHA, which is extremely important in brain and nervous system development and maintenance.

It is worth every penny to buy the best quality egg that you can afford.  It really does make a difference.  Let me make that clear, it IS WORTH the money to buy the best quality egg that you can afford.  Antibiotics are a daily part of all chicken feed.  Most commercially-produced eggs have been shown to not even contain the proper long chain fatty acids that help brain development; this is not the only benefit that they are missing.  They are also missing methionine, an amino acid (protein building block), but quality eggs are high in it.   Free range, pasture fed eggs are the best.  Chickens that can eat bugs and worms in addition to their feed  produce higher quality eggs.  Yes, it is almost enough to make me want to  raise my own back yard chickens. 🙂 I think it almost goes without saying that the egg  substitutes and powered eggs are nutritionally dead.

Last one in is a rotten egg? Having opened a rotten, black egg myself, I can tell you, there is no question at all of whether an egg is truly rotten.  Yes, I do not use questionable eggs, but having that experience, I am much more assured that I can recognize a rotten egg.  When you open an egg, the yolk should be dark yellow, even orange in some cases.  The anemic pale yellow yolk of some eggs really tells of their lack of nutrients.  The whites should have two portions, a thicker one around the yolk and a thinner one on the outside. Refrigerating eggs lowers Salmonella organisms in eggs.   Also, not everyone who eats uncooked eggs gets Salmonella.  Salmonella is naturally-occurring in the chicken intestinal tract and is made worse when antibiotics are given to chickens. This occurs in large scale, overcrowded egg production.  Small, home grown eggs are a superior product and choice.

Knock, Knock!
Who’s there?
Omelette.
Omelette who?
Omelette smarter than I look!

EGGS-it Michelle…..