Few foods—if any—are as nutritious as eggs. They are literally jam-packed with essential nutrients, which play important roles in all kinds of bodily functions.
Remember, though, that most of the micronutrients in eggs are found in the yolks, while the egg whites are where the protein is.
Here are seven reasons why eggs are so amazingly healthy!
7 Amazing Health Benefits of Eggs
1. COMPLETE PROTEIN SOURCE
Eggs are a complete protein, which means that they contain all nine essential amino acids (EAAs). These EAAs cannot be produced by your body, so you must consume them in your diet.
Making sure you get sufficient essential amino acids, as well as plenty of protein in general, is absolutely crucial for overall, long-term health. One large egg contains about 6 grams of protein.
2. HIGHER HDL (“GOOD”) CHOLESTEROL
Historically, it’s been assumed that consuming lots of eggs has an adverse effect on your cholesterol profile. This is, however, not true. Yes, eggs may increase overall cholesterol levels, but that also includes the HDL (“good”) cholesterol.
Therefore, eating eggs is a wonderful way to increase your HDL cholesterol levels, which provides a number of health benefits.
3. REDUCED RISK OF HEART DISEASE
While eggs raise your HDL cholesterol levels, they also tend to change your LDL (“bad”) cholesterol to a specific subtype that’s larger, which is associated with lower risk of atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease.
Numerous studies indicate that, although eggs do contain a significant amount of dietary cholesterol, this has very little effect on the blood cholesterol levels of healthy people.
4. INCREDIBLY NUTRIENT-DENSE
I don’t exaggerate when I say that eggs are as close to a perfect food as you can get. Along with the protein in the egg whites, egg yolks contain high levels of important micronutrients like vitamins A, B2, B5, and B12, as well as minerals like phosphorus, potassium, selenium, and calcium.
In fact, eggs contain almost every single vitamin and mineral that your body needs. They also contain a number of powerful antioxidants, which have various health benefits.
5. VITAMIN D
An egg yolk contains about 11% of your recommended daily vitamin D intake. It also contains calcium, which together provide amazing benefits for your bone health.
Making sure you get adequate amounts of vitamin D also supports your immune system, especially when it comes to fighting infections and lowering your risk of autoimmune diseases.
6. LUTEIN AND ZEAXANTHIN
Lutein and zeaxanthin are two powerful antioxidants that are found in egg yolks. Both these antioxidants gather in the retina of your eyes, where they protect against sunlight, the development of cataract, and macular degeneration.
Eating more eggs can literally reduce the risk of age-related blindness. Additionally, other micronutrients in eggs, particularly vitamin A, also support eye health.
7. CHOLINE
Arguably the biggest health benefit provided by egg yolks is choline. This nutrient is crucial for human health and plays a role in many processes in your body.
One of its important roles is helping to create acetylcholine, which is a neurotransmitter that positively affects memory, focus, learning, cognition, and muscle movement. This makes choline a critical nutrient for brain and neurological health.
Additionally, low levels of choline have also been linked to Alzheimer’s disease, heart disease, and some liver diseases.
