Gettin’ eggy with it.
If you’re like me and lived up to this point without relying on bottles or allowance from your parents, you may remember what we have always been told about eggs. We learned in health class about the benefits of HDL cholesterol and how high levels of its evil brother, LDL, can increase our risk of heart disease. Well now, Humpty can come out of hiding because the latest studies show what we knew about cholesterol and eggs were wrong.
Research has shown that the cholesterol in our body doesn’t actually come from the cholesterol we eat, but is made by our own liver from saturated and trans fats from the foods we put into our mouths. A large egg only contains about 1.5 grams of saturated fat while a cup of Greek yogurt can contain 6 grams of the vile stuff. Rather, eggs contain many beneficial nutrients such as lutein and zeaxanthin for our eye health, choline for our nervous system, and various vitamins our bodies need for a healthy balance.
So an egg a day may be as good as an apple to keep the doctors away. However, it’s also important how we eat our eggs. If the goal is to keep our cholesterol down, then stay away from using butter, cheese, bacon, sausage, and basically anything that contains high levels of saturated fat. So the next time you want a small snack, think of Humpty.
