Secrets of Using Eggs in the Diet: How to Balance the Benefits and Harms
Chicken eggs are one of the most common foods in the world and many people consume them daily, based on positive recommendations from friends, acquaintances or advice on the Internet, but not always these recommendations correspond to medical practice. In this article, we offer a closer look at the effects of chicken eggs on our health and determine the optimal frequency and amount of eating eggs, based on scientific research and doctors’ recommendations.
- Why Can Confidence In The Benefits Of Eggs Be Deceptive?
- Let’s Take the Daily Allowance as an Example
- Key Recommendations for Healthy Eating from the U.S. Government
- How Does Consuming Eggs Along with Animal Fats Affect Health?
- The Quality of Studies Showing the Benefits of Eggs
- Why Diabetics Shouldn’t Abuse Eggs?
- The Relationship Between Lecithin and Trimethylamine Oxide in Eggs and Kidney Health
- Reducing the Risk of Cardiovascular Disease: Why and How To Remove Saturated Fats from the Diet
- Conclusion
Why Can Confidence In The Benefits Of Eggs Be Deceptive?
Let’s take a closer look at the health benefits of eggs. Let’s start with protein, which is a major source of amino acids necessary for building and repairing cells in our body. One egg weighing 50 grams contains about 6.5 grams of complete protein, which provides our body with all the necessary amino acids in the right ratio.
In addition, eggs are a good source of fat. The yolk contains about 4.8 grams of fat, most of which are mono- and polyunsaturated fatty acids, essential for keeping our heart and blood vessels healthy. It’s important to note that only 1.6 grams of those 4.8 grams are saturated fats, which can have a negative impact on health if consumed above recommended levels.
Eggs are also rich in vitamins and minerals, such as vitamin D, vitamin B12, iron, zinc and selenium, which are necessary to keep the body healthy and functioning properly. However, it should be kept in mind that eggs can also contain cholesterol, so for people suffering from cardiovascular diseases, it is recommended to limit their consumption.
Let’s take a closer look at the issue of saturated and unsaturated fats that are found in eggs. Saturated fats, as opposed to unsaturated fats, have less favorable properties for health, because they can raise blood cholesterol levels, which can lead to cardiovascular disease. However, chicken eggs contain only 1.6 grams of saturated fat out of a total of 4.8 grams of fat per egg. Otherwise, eggs are rich in unsaturated fats, which are considered to be healthier for humans.
The unsaturated fats in eggs are monounsaturated and polyunsaturated, and have antioxidant properties that help protect cells from damage. In addition, they help lower blood cholesterol levels and improve metabolism. It is important to note that saturated fats are more commonly found in animal products, while unsaturated fats are found in plant-based products.
Each yolk contains about 186 milligrams of cholesterol, which may seem like a very high value considering that the daily requirement for cholesterol is about 300 milligrams. However, keep in mind that the cholesterol in eggs is not the main factor that raises blood cholesterol levels. Most blood cholesterol is synthesized in the body itself, mostly in the liver and intestines, and only about 20 to 30 percent depends on the intake with food.
Eggs also contain important nutrients such as selenium and lecithin. One egg yolk provides about 25 percent of the required daily dose of selenium, which is a strong antioxidant and has many health benefits for the body. Lecithin, which is also found in eggs, is a powerful source of choline, which plays an important role in metabolism and brain development and function. Eggs are an excellent source of high-quality protein. Even a small egg weighing 50 grams contains about 6.5 grams of complete protein, which contains all the essential amino acids needed to keep the body healthy and functioning.
Scientific studies show that eating the cholesterol found in eggs has no significant effect on blood cholesterol levels. In fact, eating two eggs a day does not exceed the recommended daily allowance of cholesterol and does not cause health risks. This is because the cholesterol in the food has minimal effect on total blood cholesterol levels, which are mainly synthesized in the liver and intestines.
Eggs are also a rich source of mono- and polyunsaturated fatty acids, which help lower bad blood cholesterol levels. Mono- and polyunsaturated fatty acids stimulate the formation of receptors to bad cholesterol on cells, which helps trap bad cholesterol and cleanse the blood.
In addition, eggs contain small amounts of saturated fats, such as palmitic and stearic acids, which are not good for health, but eggs contain them in insignificant amounts that do not have a negative impact on human health. Also, there is evidence from numerous studies conducted on a large number of people, which suggest that eating eggs can not only do no harm, but also improve cardiovascular health.
One example of such a study is the China Study, which looked at a lot of health and nutritional data from hundreds of thousands of people. The results of this study showed that people who consumed at least one egg a day had a lower risk of developing cardiovascular disease than those who did not consume eggs at all.
Let’s Take the Daily Allowance as an Example
A person’s daily caloric intake depends on many factors, such as gender, age, weight, height, and level of physical activity. Typically, the average daily calorie requirement for an adult male is about 2,500-3,000 calories, and for a female it is 2,000-2,500 calories. In this example, we are looking at a daily requirement of 3,300 kilocalories, which may be higher than average and may be due to a high level of physical activity.
Now consider the proportion of saturated fats in the diet. Fats are an important nutritional element that is necessary for the proper functioning of the body. However, saturated fats, which are found in animal products such as meat and dairy products, can increase the risk of cardiovascular disease. Therefore, it is recommended to reduce saturated fat intake to 10% of the daily caloric requirement. In this example, that amounts to 330 kilocalories. To find out how many grams of fat we need to get from the diet, we must divide 330 kilocalories by 9, since 1 g of fat contains 9 kilocalories. Thus, we get 36.6 grams of fat.
However, let’s clarify that we need to consider not only the quantity of fats, but also their quality. Plant fats, such as olive oil or avocado, are considered to be healthier for the body than animal fats. Next, we can calculate how many egg yolks we can consume with this daily calorie requirement. One egg yolk contains about 1.6 g of fat, so we can divide 36.6 g by 1.6 g, which gives us about 23 yolks.
But it is worth noting that yolks contain not only fat, but also cholesterol, which can raise blood cholesterol levels, which increases the risk of cardiovascular disease. Therefore, even if we calculate that we can eat 23 egg yolks at this daily calorie requirement, it is necessary to remember the restrictions on cholesterol intake and watch the balance of nutrients in the diet.
Finally, about proteins. Protein is just as important as fat and carbohydrates. They are necessary for growth and repair of tissues, immune system functioning and many other processes in the body. That is why you should not neglect them and reduce their consumption in favor of fats. The recommended rate of consumption of proteins is about 0.8-1 g per 1 kg of body weight per day, depending on the level of physical activity.
So, to ensure a healthy diet it is necessary to consider not only the amount of calories and fats consumed, but also the quality of fats and the balance of nutrients in general. By following the recommendations of nutrition experts and taking care of your health, you can create a diet that meets your body’s individual needs.
Key Recommendations for Healthy Eating from the U.S. Government
In 2015, a new healthy eating guide from the U.S. government was published. In this guide, it was noted that there is currently no exact recommendation for the amount of cholesterol needed to be healthy. This can lead to confusion and misperception of the recommendations by the public.
It should be noted that despite the lack of precise recommendations, the guidelines emphasized that cholesterol intake should be minimal. This is because large amounts of cholesterol can have negative effects on cardiovascular health. Thus, one should strive to reduce cholesterol intake as much as possible.
Some bloggers and media outlets distort information from the guidelines by claiming that cholesterol doesn’t matter and you don’t need to pay attention to it. This can lead to erroneous eating behaviors and an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. So, while there are no precise recommendations for cholesterol intake, it is important to remember to minimize its intake in your diet to maintain a healthy heart and blood vessels.
How Does Consuming Eggs Along with Animal Fats Affect Health?
The opinion of many doctors is that you should limit your dietary cholesterol intake as much as possible. However, to understand why this opinion is common, several factors should be considered. Although the cholesterol in eggs has no direct effect on blood cholesterol levels, this is only true under ideal conditions. This means that if you only eat eggs and do not consume other foods containing saturated fats, such as butter, meat, and fried foods, you may not have a problem with your blood cholesterol levels.
However, if you eat not only eggs but also other animal products such as red meat, sausage, and butter, there is a risk of increased blood cholesterol levels. This is because the saturated fats in these foods can negatively affect blood cholesterol levels and increase the risk of cardiovascular disease.
If you consume foods that are rich in cholesterol and saturated fats at the same time, your health can be seriously affected. The combination of these foods can greatly increase total cholesterol and bad cholesterol (low-density lipoproteins) in the body. In addition, such a diet can trigger inflammatory processes in the walls of blood vessels, as well as lead to the oxidation of cholesterol and the formation of atherosclerotic plaques, which can lead to serious cardiovascular disease.
Animal fats, especially saturated fats, can cause low-density lipoprotein receptors to disappear from cell surfaces. As a result, bad cholesterol cannot be absorbed by cells or the liver and remains in the blood, where it begins to oxidize and damage blood vessels, forming atherosclerotic plaques.
Although the process of plaque formation can take years, in 10 to 20 years it can lead to serious consequences such as heart attack, stroke, dementia, or amputation. In addition, atherosclerotic plaques are the precursors of most cardiovascular diseases, which can lead to death. Therefore, the structure of atherosclerotic plaques is a serious problem that can lead to early death.
The Quality of Studies Showing the Benefits of Eggs
Studies that show the positive effects of eggs on cardiovascular health tend to be epidemiological – that is, observational. In such studies, people are not subjected to harsh conditions; instead, they are ordinary people who live in different localities and have different diseases.
However, the results of epidemiological studies are not always reliable, because they depend on the food culture and lifestyle of people in each particular locality. For example, a study conducted in rural China may yield very different results than a similar study in the United States or Europe, where animal fat and carbohydrate consumption predominate.
The most accurate studies are interventional studies, where one deliberately takes a group of people and conducts controlled and supervised conditions in which one style of eating is performed for one group and another for another group. Thus, the amount of cholesterol and saturated fat intake is carefully controlled and regulated in such studies.
If you think you don’t have a vascular health problem, you may just not have had enough testing. Although it is difficult and unethical to do such studies on humans, it has long been shown in animals that the more cholesterol and saturated fats an animal gets from food, the faster atherosclerotic plaques develop.
Some people have a peculiarity of having a high concentration of low-density lipoprotein receptors, and for them even overdoing it with cholesterol and saturated fats does not make much difference. However, most people need a more thorough examination. Checking for atherosclerotic plaques is usually done by looking at the vessels in the neck, carotid arteries, and the connecting brachiocephalic trunk. However, if you check the aorta or the iliac femoral arteries, doctors may find plaques even in people who think their vessels are healthy.
Before drawing conclusions about one’s health, especially regarding cholesterol levels, a more thorough examination is necessary. Keep in mind that the condition of your coronary vessels (which supply blood to the heart), brain vessels and kidney arteries may be hidden from view. For a more thorough examination of your vessels, you may need a vascular CT scan with contrast. However, such studies are only prescribed for certain indications and not for all patients.
Why Diabetics Shouldn’t Abuse Eggs?
Scientific studies show that people with type 2 diabetes who eat at least one egg a day have a two-and-a-half-fold increased risk of cardiovascular disease. But that doesn’t mean they get sick more often than people who don’t have diabetes but eat the same number of eggs. It means that diabetics are two and a half times more likely to develop cardiovascular disease if they consume eggs daily.
In the context of a diabetic diet that helps control blood sugar levels, the question arises as to whether it is appropriate to recommend egg consumption for patients with type 2 diabetes and untested kidney function. Doctors and nutritionists should pay attention to each patient’s individual needs and recommend the combination of foods that will best help them achieve their goals without harming their health.
Therefore, unless you are a doctor or nutritionist, you should not recommend eating eggs in large quantities to people with type 2 diabetes. Instead, it is worth consulting a qualified specialist, who can assess individual needs and make the best diet plan for each patient.
The Relationship Between Lecithin and Trimethylamine Oxide in Eggs and Kidney Health
Lecithin and trimethylamine oxide (TMAO) are two substances found in eggs that are important to our body’s health. Lecithin, which helps build cell membranes and nerve cells, is an essential component for the normal functioning of the nervous system. However, the high content of lecithin in egg yolk can be a problem for people with impaired kidney function, such as patients with type 1 and 2 diabetes, hypertension, as well as in the elderly, whose kidney function declines progressively.
That’s why it’s worth paying attention to blood levels of creatinine and cystotin C. These indicators help to monitor kidney function and the level of kidney function. With aging, kidney function deteriorates, so the levels of these indicators increase.
Trimethylamine, which is formed in the intestine when lecithin is broken down by intestinal microflora, is absorbed into the blood and reaches the liver where it is converted into TMAO. This substance can damage our blood vessels by damaging their walls. Studies show that people with elevated levels of TMAO in their blood have an increased risk of heart attacks caused by atherosclerosis of the coronary vessels. This can lead to the need for coronary bypass surgery or stenting.
In light of this, if you have kidney problems, it is worth reducing your consumption of eggs, especially egg yolks, which contain high concentrations of lecithin. And if you want to keep your kidneys healthy, you should include foods that help improve their function, such as green vegetables and fruits rich in vitamin C and antioxidants.
Reducing the Risk of Cardiovascular Disease: Why and How To Remove Saturated Fats from the Diet
One of the main causes of cardiovascular disease is the excessive amount of saturated fat in the diet. However, epidemiological studies show that residents of Crete and Finland have significantly different eating habits, which directly affects their risk of developing cardiovascular disease.
On Crete, about 38% of calories come from consuming vegetable fats, including olive oil. Whereas, for residents of Finland, more than 40% of calories come from animal fats. Comparing the ratio of cardiovascular disease risk, we can conclude that the residents of Crete have a 15-fold lower risk than the residents of Finland. This difference is due to the fact that vegetable fats are rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids, which help lower blood cholesterol levels, while animal fats contain saturated fatty acids, which, in contrast, increase cholesterol levels.
It is important to understand that you should not panic and completely eliminate animal fats from your diet unless you have a heart and vascular health condition. Instead, you need to find a balance between vegetable and animal fat intake. If you are confident that you have enough self-control to limit your intake of animal fats, there is no reason not to eat eggs or other foods containing animal fats in moderation.
If you don’t have the ability to exercise strict self-control, you need to be more careful in your food choices and watch the amount of animal fats you consume. Instead of animal fats, you can consume vegetable fats such as olive oil, coconut oil, avocados and nuts. You can also reduce your intake of fats in general, giving up fatty meat dishes, fast food, fatty cheeses and other foods that are high in saturated fats.
Finally, don’t forget about regular medical checkups to check your cholesterol levels and other risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Regularly taking cholesterol-lowering medications and other medications can help reduce your risk of developing cardiovascular disease.
Conclusion
Eggs are a healthy product and can be included in the diet. However, if you are not sure about their quality, it is better to limit the number of eggs to five per week. At the same time, proteins can be consumed in unlimited quantities, as they are a complete source of protein without harming your health.
The Mediterranean diet is one of the most useful for health and longevity. It is based on complex carbohydrates, which can be obtained from vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes and nuts. It is also important to include seafood, dairy products and white meat in your diet, while limiting red meat. Olive and other cold-pressed vegetable oils are also an important element of the diet.
A keto diet can be beneficial, but the choice of foods is very important. If red meat, cheeses and butter are the main foods, there will be issues in the long run. It is better to practice a healthy keto diet that includes nuts, vegetable oils and lean meats, as well as seafood. All in all, choosing the right diet and eating the right foods is an important factor in maintaining a lifetime of health and well-being.