10 Health Benefit of Eggs
Some like them fried; some like them boiled; some like them beaten, stirred or poached; some even eat them raw! The nutritional value of a single egg is quite amazing. They’re very rich in proteins, fats and carbohydrates, besides water. They also contain cholesterol but some research has indicated that the body does not absorb most of the cholesterol from eggs. Eggs also contain several minerals, vitamins, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, iron, zinc, choline and iodine in varying degrees; and, it all adds up to a health-giving food. Here are a few health benefits of egg we share:
1. Helping the brain and bodily systems
A single small egg contains so many nutrients, as few other foods do. Choline, an essential nutrient, contributes to a healthy nervous and cardiovascular system, besides healthy functioning of the brain.
2. Healthy development of the fetus
Choline, an essential nutrient in regulating the human brain, is also required to develop a healthy brain in the fetus; so, having an egg is considered good practice for pregnant and lactating women.
3. Don’t throw away the yolk
All the vitamins and fats in the egg lie in its yolk, besides half of its protein content and most of its other nutrients. A large egg yolk yields 60 calories, while the egg white has about 15 calories.
4. Cooked eggs are more beneficial
Experts recommend that not only are cooked eggs easier to digest, but these also present a lower risk to salmonellosis – food poisoning caused by salmonella bacteria. Hard-boiled, poached and scrambled eggs are free from this, while if eggs are cooked at high temperatures for a sufficient duration of time, the bacteria can be wiped out. However, scrambled eggs can cause loss of protein and other nutrients and are not health-giving if eaten day in and day out.
5. Good source of fats
Experts suggest that eggs contain the ‘right’ kind of fat– only 5 gm as opposed to 1.5 gm of saturated fat, and are a healthy source of fat needed by the body. Besides, other nutrients in the egg, such as vitamin A, are better absorbed with the fatty content of the egg.
