Why are eggs good for you?

by calorific

Eggs are an incredibly popular food, but why are eggs good for you? Find out both the good and bad points that should be taken into consideration when it comes to eating eggs.

Eggs are one of the most popular and versatile foods that you are ever likely to come across, but why are eggs good for you? This page is a guide to both the positives and negatives that you should know about, before making eggs a regular part of your diet.

Egg benefit start with protein

The nutritional values of eggs are rather impressive, and one factor that is well worth taking note of is egg protein. In just one egg you can expect to consume in excess of 6 grams of protein, which is rather an impressive amount. In addition to protein, eggs also provide a rich source of various nutrients such as choline, selenium and vitamin B2.

Is there a downside to eggs? The only negative aspect when it comes to eggs is the amount of cholesterol that they contain. For example a large hard boiled egg has 212 mg of cholesterol in, which is actually quite a lot, in fact it is 71% of the total you should be consuming in a day. However, if you are only eating a couple of eggs in a day then this is not going to send your cholesterol through the roof, however, a couple of eggs every single day, or eating more than this is not going to do you any good in the long run.

The cholesterol fact really is the most negative thing that can be said about eggs though, so don't let that put you off just yet. The pros when it comes to consuming eggs regularly sure outweigh the cons, and the idea of this article is to highlight that for you.

Eggs
Eggs

Nutritional benefits of eggs

Let's take a look at some egg nutrition facts, to put into perspective just how rich in nutrients they are. Using the boiled egg as an example again, check out these amazing nutritional benefits.

One large hard boiled egg contains:

* Protein - There are 6.3 g of protein in a boiled egg, this is 13% of the total protein your body requires in a day.

* Good fat v bad fat - There are 1.7 g of saturated fats, which are deemed as bad, whereby there are 2 g of monounsaturated fats and 0.6 g of polyunsaturated fats, both of which are deemed as good fats. The total fats in this boiled egg are 5.3 g and this can generally be something that puts people off eating them.

* Selenium - With 15.4 g of selenium, that one egg is providing you with 22% of the total your body needs in a single day.

* Choline - This one large hard boiled egg has 113 milligrams in it, and this equates to approximately a quarter of the 550 mg that an adult male requires in a day.

* Vitamin B2 / Riboflavin - With 0.3 milligrams of vitamin B2, this one egg can give you 15% of the total of this essential vitamin that you need per day.

* Phosphorus - This one boiled egg can get you 9% of the total phosphorus you need in a day, with it's 86 milligram content.

* Vitamin B12 - 9% of your daily vitamin 12 requirement can be satisfied with this one large boiled egg, as it provides 0.6 micrograms of this B vitamin.

* Vitamin A - 293 international units of vitamin A in a boiled provide you with 6% of the total needed in a day.

* Lutein and zeaxanthin - 176 micrograms of these carotenoids are found in this one boiled egg.

Besides these paramount nutritional benefits of eggs, they also contain traces of almost all of the other essential vitamins too.

As you can see from a nutritional perspective, there are undoubtedly a lot of seriously positive things to note when it comes to eating eggs. They are loaded with various nutrients that are essential to many bodily functions and processes that we probably all take for granted. The amount of protein in an egg is very impressive when it comes to comparing it to a great many other foods, and the really the other nutrients are the icing on the metaphorical cake.

How about egg calories?

The number of calories that are found in a large boiled egg stands at 77, which is not a huge amount, but again could be a factor that puts people off eating them. However, I can point out that this is less than the fried egg, which is arguably the more popularly eaten of the two.

You can find out the calorie content of eggs in all their varieties by clicking here.

The verdict

So why are eggs good for you, or why are eggs bad for you? I think the facts speak for themselves, and in moderation eggs are undoubtedly good for you. Eating too much of anything is going to have a detrimental effect in one way or another, and for eggs it is simply that you are increasing your cholesterol levels, and also taking on board a little more fat that you might like too. However, when you look at the help your body can get from the nutrients that eggs contain, such as the egg protein, then you really have to see them for what they are, a healthy addition to your diet. You can eat just one hard boiled egg and get a great dose of various nutrients, and that just means you may have to be a little wary of the other foods you eat in a day, in relation to their cholesterol and fat contents.

Remember moderation is key here, and if you are able to keep an eye on your diet and include eggs sensibly, then there is no reason why they can't work in your favor.

Updated: 07/05/2012, calorific
 
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calorific on 07/11/2012

Hi Katie thanks for your comment, glad you are a fan of eggs too, I love mine fried and turned over :) Steve

katiem2 on 07/06/2012

Cool eggs pics. I love eggs, if it weren't for eggs I'd be a vegan. Eggs are so nutritious.

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