Eggs Facts and Myths: Are These Really Good for a Healthy Diet? Experts Weigh In

Brown eggs vs. white eggs; which is healthier? Are raw eggs beneficial for workouts? Do eggs belong in a healthy dietary plan? There are numerous facts and myths about eggs; luckily, experts are weighing in on the real deal behind eggs.

Advantages of Eggs in Your Diet

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Eggs are high in nutrients it provides abundant nutrition per calorie, including iodine, phosphorus, potassium, and iron. One large egg is said to have roughly 72 calories and contain 6 grams of protein, according to the FoodData Central, United States Department of Agriculture.

Experts say that eggs content a lesser-known nutrient, choline, that ensures the proper functioning of the nervous system and the brain. Choline is also a vital nutrient for brain development in infants and babies. A peer-reviewed study in 2017 published in the journal Nutrients, entitled "Usual Choline Intakes Are Associated with Egg and Protein Food Consumption in the United States", analyzed the intake of choline-rich foods from participants from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.

Data showed that it is difficult to consume the adequate levels of choline required daily without including eggs in meal plans or taking dietary supplements.

Additionally, eggs are also very rich in a number of vitamins, including Vitamin E, Vitamin D, and Vitamin A, explains Andrew Odegaard, an associate professor of epidemiology at the University of California, says to USA Today. Odegaard explains that eggs are extremely beneficial and are a great source of basic nutrients.

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Risks of Eating Eggs

Odegaard explains that any potential danger from egg consumption rests on the person's general diet.

He explains that if a person routinely has a typical American diet that's full of added sugars, high levels of processed meats, red meats, and ultra-processed foods, adding eggs to their daily meals isn't healthy at all.

A study published in 2014 in the journal Cell Metabolism shows that high protein diets have innate negative side effects on a person's health. Research shows that high-protein diets are linked with increased cancer risks, diabetes, and overall mortality for those under 65-years-of-age. The study also found that diets filled with plant-derived proteins are associated with lower mortality rates than those that consume high levels of animal-derived proteins.

Despite people avoiding eggs, experts say that eating eggs in moderation, which is one egg per day, isn't linked with increased cardiovascular risks and is associated even with lower cardiovascular disease among the Asian population.

Busting Egg Myths

Contrary to popular belief, brown eggs are no healthier than white eggs. Although, experts clarify that there are different minerals and vitamins found in different eggs depending on the diet of the layer hens.

Some eggs may contain more or less omega-3 fatty acids, Vitamin D, or other acids. According to research from the Agricultural Sciences of Penn State, eggs from pastured layer hens have twice the amount of omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin A, and vitamin E than commercial eggs.

When it comes to consuming raw eggs, the United States Department of Agriculture states that the outside shell of eggs could be laced with bacteria, and it's possible for the inside to be infected with salmonella.