eggs - superfood

The humble Egg is a nutrient-dense super food containing large amounts of amino acids, vitamins and minerals. Eggs are a significant source of vitamins A and E, and B vitamins (B-6, B-12 and folate) known to lower blood levels of homocysteine, a risk factor for heart disease. Eggs supply all essential vitamins except vitamin C. Eggs contain iron, zinc, iodine, phosphorus, sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium and small quantities of other minerals. Iron is taken-up by the body best if food containing vitamin C is eaten at the same meal. Eat a piece of fruit (half a grapefruit) or drink a glass of juice high in vitamin C at the same meal. All choline in eggs is in the yolk. If only egg whites are consumed, you are missing out on the majority of an egg’s nutrients. Egg yolks contain the long-chain omega-3 fatty acid DHA, necessary for brain and retinal function. Yolks also have long-chain omega-6 fatty acid, arachidonic acid, needed for healthy skin, hair, libido, reproduction and growth. Choline is an important nutrient that regulates the brain, nervous system, and cardiovascular system. In addition to choline, the yolk contains 40% of an egg’s protein and antioxidants – lutein and zeaxanthin. These two antioxidants are believed to improve eyesight, decrease risk of cataracts and reduce the risk of age-related macular degeneration (the leading cause of blindness in people over age 65 years). Selenium is another important antioxidant found in eggs. Selenium inhibits clot formation, reducing risk of heart attack and stroke. Eggs lose some nutritional value when cooked. Regular egg eaters should choose to eat whole eggs, rather than beaten/scrambled eggs. When the yolk of an egg is broken (beaten to make scrambled eggs, omelette or include in bake mix) and exposed to high heat, the egg’s proteins and fat are damaged, rendering the fat unhealthy. However, eating scrambled eggs occasionally is not a major problem. Egg yolk lecithin acts as a binder. It binds fats and water together. Cholesterol absorption is proven to be reduced by lecithin. The phospholipid, or lecithin, found in egg inhibits cholesterol absorption, although it is not inhibited 100 percent – some cholesterol is absorbed, but the amount absorbed is significantly reduced in the presence of lecithin. People with normal cholesterol levels and no family history of cardiovascular disease are not at risk eating eggs regularly.   Allergic to eggs?   The following natural substitutes can be used when baking, etc. Mashed bananas are a good egg substitute – one medium-sized banana replaces one egg. Potato starch, mashed potatoes, etc. are good egg substitutes, as is potato flour, made from cooked, dried or ground potatoes. The flour is a good form of egg substitution and has the added benefit of being totally gluten-free. Flax seeds (high nutritious value) are one of the best egg substitutes to use for baking. Flax seeds contain a reasonable amount of the alpha-linolenic acid, include in diet for inflammatory bowel disease, heart disease and arthritis. These seeds can be used whole or ground. One egg can be replaced in a recipe by mixing the flax seeds in water – 1:3 ratio (1 spoon of flax seeds to 3 spoons of water) to make a gelatinous batter. Another useful egg substitute is applesauce. Only use the unsweetened applesauce. A ¼ cup of applesauce replaces one whole egg. In summary, although obvious, consumers need to remember at point of selection and purchase, that the ideal egg is one that comes from poultry raised outdoors (often on pasture), in a place where the hen can eat a variety of green plants and insects.