It came to my attention that British Egg Week is here. Since I love eggs so much, and egg related jokes, I thought I’d take the time to let you know some eggstreme egg facts.
Eggs are healthy foods.
They really are an ideal way to start the day.
And at any time of day they fill a gap, and come in their own handy lunch box assuming you boil them.
Try this – boil a batch and take them to work instead of cake or biscuits. Just remember not to confuse the raw and boiled ones unless you want a messy desk – that’d be no yolk!
Eggs Are Good For You!
- Test of time – our ancestors ate eggs millions of years ago so the stamp of approval has been granted by our genes, which have adapted to accept and even thrive off egg consumption. We would have eaten them seasonally in Paleolithic times.
- Are eggs good for you? The British Heart Foundation has given eggs the green light, and recommend eating them in the quantities you desire, since the negative egg press and unfair reputation that eggs have had in the past was founded on incorrect information – probably bias research.
- High levels of omega 3 are found in eggs from hens that are free to range and fed a natural diet. Go for the best organic eggs you can find and start addressing the omega 6 to omega 3 imbalances found in the western diet.
- Protein from eggs raises your metabolism and provides us with the building blocks to repair and grow. Being a complete protein means eggs contain all the essential amino acids, so you’re covered nutritionally – this is especially important for vegetarians.
- Eggs keep you full because the fat is an effective gastric inhibitor, and the protein helps with satiety too. Add a bit of vegetable (fibre and vitamins) such as spinach for added nutrition and satiety too. Keeping full will help you stay away from sweets and treats.
Eggs And Cholesterol
Eggs do contain cholesterol, however this is no bad thing.
In fact without cholesterol we would die, since it is used in many essential bodily functions. However oxidised cholesterol is a bad thing, and excess heat is likely to burn the egg and cholesterol. Avoid excess frying if possible and boil, scramble and poach to cook with minimal heat. This will help keep the unsaturated fats in eggs in good nick too – preventing them from turning into evil trans-fats!
The trouble with oxidised cholesterol is the damage it can cause inside your body, increasing the risk of atherosclerosis. Slow-cook you eggs to be safe!
Start your day on an egg
- Boiled egg with side salad of spinach. Finish with melon.
- Scrambled eggs with smoked salmon.
- Poached eggs on a bed of spinach, nuts and seeds.
- Hard boiled eggs as a snack or post workout – take them to work or gym.
Modern Farming Affects Eggs
As with wild game meats and organic grass fed meats such as beef, the quality of eggs and their nutrient density is significantly better if the hen is allowed to forage for food as in the wild.
Free Range Eggs |
Battery Farmed Eggs |
| Lower cholesterol – 33% less | Higher cholesterol – 33% more |
| 25% less saturated fat | 25% more saturated fat |
| 66% more vitamin A | 66% less vitamin A |
| 2x more omega 3 fatty acids | 2x less omega 3 fatty acids |
| 300% more vitamin E | 300% less vitamin E |
| 700% more beta carotine | 700% less beta carotine |
Aim to consume the best eggs you can afford, and organic local farms or farm shops are places where you can speak to the farmer and even see the hens!
Egg Jokes
- How did the egg get up the mountain?… It scrambled up!
- How do baby chickens dance?… Chick-to-chick!
- What day do chickens hate most?… Fry-day!
- What do you call a bird that’s afraid of its shadow?… Chicken!
- What is a chicken’s favorite tree?… A y-oak tree!
- Who tells the best chicken jokes?… Comedi-hens!
So that’s it for today. To me, the benefit of eating eggs is obvious, as is the benefit of eating orgainic produce. My advice to you is not to let the bad egg press put you off eggs, and to consume eggs regularly with a nutrient-rich diet. Have an egsellent day!