All About Eggs

Teri Cochrane on
Eggs have a number of health benefits.

Poached, well done or sunny-side up?

As a nutritionist, eggs are an important tool in my basket.

Egg whites are high in protein and contain, on average, just 17 calories per egg. This makes egg whites a great way to pack a protein punch while reducing caloric intake. For sulfur-sensitive individuals who love eggs, sticking to the whites can even lower the egg’s total sulfur burden.

Egg yolks are one of the most nutrient-dense foods on Earth. Rich in liver-supportive choline, healthy fats, iron, folate, vitamins D and A, and the nutrients lutein and zeaxanthin, which are both excellent for eye and brain health, egg yolks truly are a superfood.

However, egg yolks are often demonized for their cholesterol content, and can be irritating for the sulfur-sensitive.

When it comes to cholesterol, I believe that everything is balance. Studies show that cholesterol from egg yolks does not raise cholesterol levels the same way that saturated and trans fats do. If you eat a diet that is rich in healthy fats and good cholesterol, such as grass-fed dairy and wild game, egg yolks should be a healthy addition.

If you suffer from high cholesterol or a sulfur sensitivity, temporarily removing egg yolks from your diet may be prudent decision – but that’s not to say that they should be permanently excised!

When it comes to buying eggs, look for pasture-raised organic options. Most standard eggs at the grocery store come from cage-raised chickens. Due to the stressful crowding conditions and poor feed that these chickens are exposed to, their eggs often lack the nutrient properties of pasture-fed eggs from happy, healthy hens. A hen raised on GMO corn or soy simply won’t have the same biochemical makeup of a hen raised on grass.

One way to gauge the health of an egg is to take a good look at the yolk. The brighter and more pigmented the yolk, the more carotenoids and nutrients it contains. If the yolk is a wan, dull yellow – it is probably a watered-down nutritional shadow of a real egg.

Personally, I like to buy Vital Farms Organic Pasture Raised eggs. Vital Farms is recognized for its humane growing practices and transparency – I urge you to take a look at their site! It will make you think twice about the quality of your eggs.

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