The Incredible Edible Egg

Remember back 20 years when the egg was thought to be so bad for you? Some people still have a fear of eggs. I have to admit, I was in the "please make my omelet with egg substitute" side for a while. But I have changed my tune now that I have learned more about some of the many positive nutritional aspects of the incredible edible egg.

We used to think that the cholesterol in eggs was a culprit in raising our blood cholesterol. Much research has been done on the effect of eggs on cholesterol and the consensus now is that an eggs are fine, and actually can be very good for you! Saturated fat and trans fat are far worse than dietary cholesterol at raising blood cholesterol. All of the dietary cholesterol is found in the yolk, and that is why we were so "egg yolk-phobic" for so many years. But I am here to tell you, eat the yolk! There is some saturated fat in the yolk, so we still want to use a little bit of portion and frequency control, but an egg every day is not excessive and can fit into a heart healthy diet.

5 Reasons to eat eggs:

1. Weight management. Eggs contain high quality protein that keeps you full longer, helping to maintain a healthy weight.
2. Strong muscles. Protein helps active people build muscle and can help aging adults prevent muscle loss.
3. Healthy pregnancy. Egg yolks are an excellent source of choline, an essential nutrient that contributes to fetal brain development and helps prevent birth defects. Two eggs provide 250 mg choline, about half of the recommended daily intake for pregnant and breastfeeding women.
4. Brain function. Choline helps all people maintain the structure of brain cell membranes, and is a key component of the neuro-transmitter that helps relay messages from the brain through nerves to the muscles.
5. Eye health. Lutein and zeaxanthin are two antioxidants found in the egg yolk. They may help prevent macular degeneration.

Nutrition facts for one large egg:
75 calories
6.5 g protein
0 g carbohydrate
5 g fat
1.5 g saturated fat
0 g trans fat
212 mg cholesterol
Contains: Vitamin A, iron, phosphorus, selenium, riboflavin, Vitamin B12, folic acid, Vitamin D, zinc

For more information check out these links:
Fun Recipes and Tips: www.incredibleegg.org
Info on Benefits of Eggs from the Egg Nutrition Center: www.enc-online.org
Recipes for eggs
Blog on eggs and nutrition science: www.unscramblingthescience.com

Photo of eggs courtesy of cursedthing

Labels: cholesterol, eggs, heart disease, Tara Gidus

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Cholesterol Lowering Plants

If you are trying everything you can do lower your cholesterol, add plant sterols to your list. Even if you don't have high cholesterol, plant sterols can be something you may want to consider adding to your diet.

What are plant sterols?
I know the name is kind of scary, but they are simply parts of a plant membrane that resemble the chemical structure of cholesterol (only in animals and humans) but perform a similar function in the plant. They are naturally present in very small quantities in fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, grains, legumes, and vegetable oils.

What do they do?
Plant sterols have been found in research studies to help lower LDL, or "bad," cholesterol by blocking its absorption. If enough sterols are consumed in the diet, they will compete with cholesterol in the digestive tract and the result is less cholesterol being absorbed by the body. Studies have found that LDL cholesterol can be reduced between 6 and 15 percent. Some studies even suggest a reduced risk of cancer in people who consume plant sterols on a regular basis.

How much?
The hard part is getting enough of these plant sterols to make a difference. Because they exist in such small quantities in the foods we eat, many food manufacturers have started fortifying foods with plant sterols to give us more.

The FDA approved a health claim which reads:
Foods containing at least 0.65 grams per serving of plant sterol esters, eaten twice a day with meals for a daily total intake of at least 1.3 grams, as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol, may reduce the risk of heart disease. A serving of [name of the food] supplies ____ grams of plant sterol esters.

Foods that contain plant sterols:
Promise activ Super Shots: 2.0 g
Promise activ Butter Spread (formerly Take Control): 1.0 g
Corazona's Tortilla or Potato Chips: 0.4 g (I love these chips!)
CocoaVia Chocolate bars: 1.1 g
Various products containing Corowise: Vitalicious chocolate muffin tops, milk, orange juice, Nature Valley Healthy Heart granola bars, Lifetime Lowfat Cheese, even vitamins.

Consult with your doctor to see if adding plant sterols to your diet daily is a good idea.

Photo of orange juice courtesy of Corowise
Photo of chips courtesy of Corazonas

Labels: cholesterol, heart disease, plant sterols, Tara Gidus

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